Long Live the King
by Gmann
Summary: Civil unrest. Kingdoms at the brink of all-out war. Monsters manifested from fear itself. The rulers of each Kingdom are expected to keep order, even bring about prosperity. The stress is enough to break even a strong willed man. Sadly, it would seem Remnant slows for no-one. Not even Jaune Arc, the 17-year-old Prince of the Vale Kingdom.
1. Tensions on the Rise

_Chapter 1_ : Tensions on the Rise

 _Beta_ : Shad0wReaper133

 _Story_ : Huge thank you to the members of Myareska's Discord Server, which made this fic possible.

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 _"Yet he who reigns within himself, and rules passions, desires, and fears, is more a king"_

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Kingdom politics were possibly the most mind numbing thing to deal with in Remnant. No one enjoyed them, not even the people who derived their power from the house of cards on which the governments were placed upon. It no doubt took the mental endurance of ten men to stay awake and double that amount to stay engaged. However, it was in these small, stuffy, usually dark chambers that the future of millions was decided. Which, in Jaune's opinion, was a pretty good reason to stay awake. Still, it didn't make it easy. Especially for a seventeen-year-old.

"All I'm saying is that we are not in any position to test Atlas' patience. I say that Vale forgoes peace relations with Vacuo for the time being and simply comply with whatever demands Atlas has."

Jaune lifted his head at this statement and looked to his right side to see how Ozpin would react. As expected, he remained silent, however, the teen knew it was anything but indifference. His Head Advisor would act when the time was right like many times before.

Another voice spoke up, this one at least twice as loud as the last. "You should be hung for treason to even suggest such a thing! Are we not more than a prostitute for Atlas to defile whenever it fancies?!"

The room nearly exploded in rebuttals and hastily thrown insults in response to the rather vivid analogy. Jaune Arc, Prince of the Kingdom of Vale, raised a hand to silence the group of hoary men before one of them was killed. For Oum sake…

"Port, please put down Mr. Winchester so we can continue," sighed the boy, rubbing his temples. By now, it was officially his third year of sitting in on these meetings and he was used to disputes like this breaking out. It was the reason his Head of Military – Peter "Fortress" Port – was indefinitely banned from bringing his Battle-Axe/Blunderbuss hybrid to the meetings. The large man reluctantly dropped the other and took his seat once again.

"Great. Ms. Goodwitch, do you have anything to add to all of this?"

Glynda, the oldest out of the three females in the room and Head of the Royal Guard, nodded to Jaune before standing to acknowledge the group. The Prince knew he could always count on her to bring about a bit of order and possibly even sanity – a rare thing to find in these meetings.

"Well, as all of you know, Qrow has not returned yet with Atlas' response to our last call for a peace treaty. Until he returns, all of this is hardly relevant. I say we reconvene as soon as he comes back. We could all use a chance to take a breath and recollect our thoughts anyway."

 _If only she had said that two hours ago._ "Thank you, Ms. Goodwitch. Does anyone object to this?" Jaune waited all of three seconds. "No? Great. This meeting is over-"

"Actually, I have something to add," spoke a voice smoother than silk and gourmet chocolate. All eyes turned to the second youngest in the room second to Jaune himself. Her eyes were a smoldering yellow-brown, and hair a shimmering black made from the dreams of children. Cinder Fall, Head of Dust Application in the Kingdom. She was a newer face, only being taken on so as to compete with Atlas when it came to new uses of the energy propellant. Despite being so young – still in her mid-twenties – her confidence spoke of more years than she let on. Jaune liked her well enough, but in following the advice of his father, he didn't trust her implicitly either.

"I realize that my forte is Dust, but this tension with Atlas is worrying. I think we should plan for what will happen if Knight Branwen comes back with no peace condition from Atlas."

Jaune sighed, realizing sadly that this meeting would last for possibly another two hours. "What do you suggest if this comes to pass then, Ms. Fall?"

"Well, I think we should begin stockpiling weapons now, just in case the worst happens. I also think an increase in Dust mining is in order. Then if Atlas tries to flex its muscles, we will be able to flex back. It would be oh so foolish to remain helpless."

The words rested on the group like a damp blanket. A few loose mutterings went around before Henry Winchester spoke up. "Well, I think that increasing the Vale military wouldn't be such a bad call. In fact, I remember pushing for such a thing myself."

Jaune didn't miss the way Henry's eyes flickered to Cinder after talking. Henry Winchester was of one of the wealthier families in the Kingdom, making most of his money off different weapon designs. An increase in the military would benefit him greatly. Which was why it was so strange that Henry and Port simply did not get along together.

"Yes, Mr. Winchester, I distinctly remember that conversation and I still distinctly remember why it was turned down," retorted Oobleck, before sipping down another gulp of coffee. After knowing the man his whole life, Jaune was able to understand the Head Historian and Faunus Relations well enough, despite the speed of his words. Everyone else mostly just got the gist of his argument and moved on.

"If we were to begin increasing the military capacity of Vale, not only Atlas, but every kingdom will feel the need to do the same, resulting in increased tension! A similar situation happened under William Arc's rule sixty years ago. I'm sure we all know what happened as a result."

"Grimm."

Everyone at the table turned to face Ozpin, who's had apparently decided to interject for the first time today. The oldest member took another sip of his coffee before continuing.

"The greatest Grimm influx the world had ever seen up to that point happened, all because the Kingdoms were scared that war would break out among each other when they, in fact, lost sight of the greater threat. Ironically, it was this that forced the four Kingdoms to come to a temporary peace agreement so as to not lose everything. The fragile peace we still have today is one of the lasting impacts of that war."

After Ozpin stopped talking, the room fell into a deafening silence. The Head Advisor had that effect on people. He always spoke as if having lived it and it was often unclear on whether he had or not. Looking around, the Prince saw that some of the older men were nodding their heads in agreement with what Ozpin said, a few most likely having lived through that period as children. Jaune himself remembered studying the topic with Oobleck, the event having been one of the more researched topics.

Jaune coughed into his fist, finally breaking the silence and drawing all eyes to him.

"Well, if there is not anything else add, I say we end this meeting and have a much-needed break to recollect our thoughts. Any objections?"

A hand raised from the last female of the group. She was a slightly plump woman who appeared to be in her late thirties. Her curly hair went from a deep hazel brown at the roots, lightened into a strawberry red, before ending in a golden blonde. Her crystal clear blue eyes matched his own to genuinely frightening degree, a testament to the Arc blood running through her veins. She was sat in between Oobleck and Tai Xing-Long, a trusted Knight despite not being active since the death of his wife.

"Yes, Au- I mean Mrs. Peach. Is there something you would like to add?"

Jaune cursed internally at almost calling his Head of Public Relations "Auntie" like normal. Talk about an easy way to lose any semblance of respect. It was bad enough being 17 and not even King yet. The way his Aunt smiled showed she had caught the slip, but thankfully wouldn't mention it. Despite participating in these meetings for over three years now since his father's death, it was still hard to not call the woman who pinched his cheeks and kissed his forehead "Auntie."

"Well, I just wanted to say that we need to restock on coffee beans from Mistral. I know how much that means to some of the men in this room."

At the mention of the "special blend," Oobleck nearly snapped his neck to look at the women and make sure she was for real. Less noticeably, Ozpin eyes shifted towards his coffee mug before looking back at Mrs. Peach, as serious as a heart attack. The women simply winked at the two before lifting her own mug and drinking down the warm liquid inside.

"I see. Well, I will make sure that takes top priority," replied Jaune, only half joking. He couldn't have two of his top men out of commission from deprivation. Truly addiction was a cruel mistress. Looking around at the twenty or so men and women in the room, nearly all of them had matching ceramic mugs they clutched to as if the continents held their personality. Even the dangerously beautiful Cinder Fall had a mug in hand, which she held tighter hearing about the possible shortage. Only Glynda and himself were immune.

"Well I don't see why this would ever take top priority over our current situation with Atlas," began Glynda, clearly irritated. "I mean honestly, what would be one week without-"

"Did I forget to mention that our shipment of tea leaves comes joint with the coffee," interrupted Peach, winking at Ms. Goodwitch playfully. The blond stickler looked down at her own mug filled with green swirling tea leaves from Mistral. The speed at which her tune changed was astonishing, bordering on comical. Of course, no one being foolish enough to laugh or comment.

"Well, I guess we can't very well have you all suffering withdrawal symptoms can we," spoke the proud women, daring anyone to comment.

 _Having fun in that glass house of yours, Ms. Goodwitch?_ "Well, with that being said, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

Silence prevailed, even the members who enjoyed hearing themselves talk seemed to be eager to leave. "Great, meeting adjourned until Qrow returns with Atlas' reply."

The sound of chairs sliding across stone filled the room as everyone stood and began walking towards the exit. Light flooded into the dim room when the large wooden door was opened, causing many members of the Royal Council to hiss like Vampires. As they filed out, a few congregated in the hallway to discuss personal matters. Outside there were many Royal Guard members, all of which cringed in fear at the sight of Glynda walking out. At least two were assigned to each council member. The rich noblemen of the Council all knew each other, and often held parties at each other's estates or invited one another to hunting trips. What caught Jaune's eyes was Ms. Fall speaking to Winchester.

While the two had seemed to agree in the meeting, Jaune was not aware their relationship went deeper than just face value. It was an open secret that Henry often slept behind his wife's back – everyone on the council was aware though it was not public – but if this was the case with Ms. Fall, then Jaune was not privy to the information. While this was not exactly detrimental, it could change how the Prince would have to take advice from either. It was something he would need to investigate further.

A soft tap on the back of his head made the boy turn around to regard his Aunt Peach. "It's rude to stare you know. Plus a good King never lets his intentions be known. Unless you're just checking out Ms. Fall's ass like everyone else."

 _"Auntie,"_ whispered harshly to keep his playful family member quite.

"Oh right, I forgot. You already have a playmate."

 _"Auntie!"_

Peach giggled before patting him on the shoulder and sauntering off. She muttered something about being "too easy" before walking around the corner. Whether or not his Aunt really did know about his relationship with Nora was a question for another day. Many knew that the two were close friends, it was hard not to tell, what with them getting into mischief every passing second when the Prince had been younger. The sexual part of said relationship was a well-kept secret, however.

"She's right you know."

Jaune turned around to see Ozpin and his faithful companion Ceramic White. "A good King perfects the art of observing without looking. You've made great strides in this regard, I'm proud to say. Also as Mrs. Peach so eloquently put, you've also made a few strides I'm not so proud of."

The Prince nodded, walking down the long hallways of Beacon Castle. The progress was all because of the caffeine addict standing beside him. Ozpin or Uncle Oz in informal settings had the greatest poker face of all time. In fact, Jaune would regularly look in the mirror and try to imitate Ozpin's impassive stare. It was the perfect blend of "zero fucks given" with "I have my next 200 moves planned."

"Well, I have a good teacher."

 _Wait, what did he mean by that last part?_

Ozpin hummed before patting Jaune on the shoulder and walking down another corridor, mostly likely to take care of some business matters. That left Jaune alone with the Royal Guard members, everyone else having walked to different parts of the castle to do whatever business they needed to attend to. Or so the boy thought.

"Hello, your Highness," spoke a sultry voice from behind. Jaune swiveled around to see Cinder Fall in all her glory. Fighting back a blush at being taken off guard, he put on his best impassive face.

"Hello, Ms. Fall. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Do you need something…?"

She smiled kindly before speaking. "Yes. I'm expecting my niece to becoming from Vacuo in approximately two weeks for a visit. My sister is currently going through a tough divorce and wish I take care of young Emerald for the time being. I just wanted to inform you because it may affect my ability to attend meetings in the future."

 _Hmm, I forgot Cinder had a niece._ "Oh. Well, make sure Emerald travels with her papers and it should be fine. I look forward to meeting her if she's a gem like you," spoke Jaune, trying his hand at a joke. The pun was terrible and Jaune expected the deadpan stare he no doubt deserved, but instead a hint of mirth and some other hidden emotion sparked in Cinders eye.

Cinder raised an eyebrow at the statement but didn't say anything in response. "Thank you, your Highness. I'm glad you were so understanding."

Jaune waved a hand as if to dismiss the sentiment. "It's no trouble-"

"Jaune!" A loud yell echoed off the castle walls. "Jaune!"

Turning around, Jaune was just in time to catch his little sister, who had decided to jump directly into his arms. Thankful for the distraction, Jaune hugged her back lovingly.

"I can see you have your arms full," spoke Cinder from behind, who was far closer to his ear than necessary. _Wait, was that a pun she just made?_ "Well, if you ever want to continue talking, I'm easy to find." Then like that, she was gone.

"Jauuunnee, you promised that we would play after the meeting ended!"

The Prince looked back at his little sister, smiling at her simple mindedness. "Ah, ah. But did I say when after the meeting ended?"

Hazel's eyes watered up a bit. "But, but that isn't fair."

"That's politics."

"Politics stink." This got a snicker out of Jaune. He hoisted the little girl up onto his shoulder before continuing his walk down the hallway. One of the Royal Guard walked close by, but Jaune had come to just ignore them, like all the others under their protection.

"Well, now you know why big brother is always tired. Just a room with a lot of tired adults making each other even more tired by polluting the air with politics every time they speak. Not to mention most of the old goats like to hear themselves speak. That is big brothers day in a nutshell."

Hazel's face twisted into a grimace as if biting into something rotten. "Will I have to be in politics one day?"

"Hmm, maybe. Don't worry though. That's why grown-ups drink lots of coffee or tea to dilute the politics in their body." Or whatever ungodly whiskey/coffee hybrid Port drank on a regular basis. On the subject of vices, might as well throw in the Kingdom Brothel two-thirds of the council suspiciously defended every time the subject was brought up. "Anyway, don't worry about it. That's big brothers job."

Jaune reached the more secured are of the castle where his family resided. The Royal Guard member who had followed him to this area gave a curt nod before walking off, seeing that there was already a constant shift of Guard walking this hallway. As his door came into focus, he saw that his twin sister was standing directly outside his door. Jaune walked up and set Hazel down.

"Lavender, what's up?"

"Oh nothing, I'm just here to take Hazel with me." What could only be described as the female version of Jaune bent down and picked up the little girl despite her constant squirming and protest.

"But Jaune said he would play with me," complained Hazel, even as Lavender walked down the corridor, all protest falling on deaf ears.

"Big brother is tired right now. Oh and Jaune?" She turned back around a winked quickly. "Have fun with your nap." Then she continued down the hall and out of sight.

 _Okay, that was weird as Hell. What did she mean have fun? Jaune shrugged to himself before opening the door and walking in, only for his heart to jump into his throat_.

"Nora-"

A loud snore cut through the air, the source coming from the half naked and currently dead to the world girl laying on his bed sleeping. The small ginger was currently only wearing pink lingerie, other than that, she might as well have been stark naked. It would have probably been an arousing scene if not for Nora drooling on his pillow. Jaune rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him at bit harder than normal, causing a loud bang to echo through the room. It also had the desired effect of waking his best friend from her nap.

Nora shot up from her resting position and snapped a salute. "I wasn't sleeping Ms. Goodwitch!"

Jaune rubbed his face, finding humor in the ridiculousness of the scene. He'd probably be upset if not use to these type of shenanigans by now. "No worries Nora, it's just me."

Nora yawned loudly and stretched, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Jauney? Oh, Jaune! I'm in your room!"

"Yes. Good observation."

Pouting cutely, Nora sat up and folded her arms. Jaune rolled his eyes and sat on the end of the bed next to the girl, beginning to undress from his formal robes. "Hey, I know my bed is more comfortable than yours, but this is a bit much, right?"

Nora gave out what could only be called a growl and tackled Jaune, causing him to fall back on his bed. "I was going to surprise you because we haven't had a chance to talk lately, but that dumb meeting took longer than I thought...and your bed's really comfortable…"

"Hmm, I guess I can see how that could occur." Jaune didn't even need to ask what type of surprise Nora had in store for him. With the girl's face so close to his, Jaune leaned in and closed the distance between their lips, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away. "I'm sorry. Meetings seemed to get longer and the days seem to get shorter I guess."

Nora sat up and folded her arms. "Not good enough. With the small amount of time we have now, you better make it up to me."

Jaune cracked a grin. This girl giving orders to a Prince. "As you command, Queen of the Castle."

/-/

Cinder Fall nearly skipped with glee as she walked from the grounds of Beacon Castle, instead, her usual confident strut had to suffice. It seemed the universe just never ceased to shower her in luck. First infiltrating Vale, then infiltrating the high council. It was a plan that was years in the making, but the results were all worth it.

 _Humans are such fools, men, and women alike. Show a little skin, whisper the right words, and they become like marble in the hands of a sculptor. The Winchester fool will be easier than I thought. It's a calculated risk to invite him into my home, but it will pay off well. It's far too dangerous to seduce the Prince directly, that will have to be Emerald's job._

Cinder smiled at the thought. There was quite literally no end to the gossip on who the Arc boy was sleeping with, to the point where it could be anyone if you were to listen to every rumor. Of course, being the intelligent women she was, Cinder had narrowed it to a handful of likely candidates. None of them holding a candle to Emeralds exotic allure.

As Ms. Fall walked back to her estate in the noble part of the Kingdom, she waved politely to everyone who passed by. Some tipped their hats, others smiled and stopped to chat. Through it all, she responded in kind. Even as she passed the Military Barracks and some of the more boisterous members would cat call and ask for dates, she was a perfect lady. They should have been disemboweled for their insolence, but her mask stayed intact through it all. It had too. The two Royal Guard members assigned to her were also quite the annoyance but granted they didn't come inside her home, it interfered little with her plans.

Finally, after a ten-minute walk, she arrived at the large house that had been provided to her by the crown. It was nearly as large as a Guild Hall, made out of a lovely white marble stone, and lined with servants. Or it used to be. She had dismissed all but two of the servants, claiming the rest would be overkill. It just so happened that those two were faunus. A coincidence to the ignorant eye. When asked, she simply said they were the best two.

Cinder smirked wider when the door to her estate opened for her without even needing to knock. They were indeed good servants, but that was only because they knew her true power. The two White Fang infantry members had been born in Vale and had been servants just like their parents for nearly their whole life. There were other undercover agents like them, but these just so happened to be with her.

"Thank you," she purred to the White Fang members, reaching up to run a finger down one of their faces. The female servant moaned at the touched, while also blushing at having let out a sound. _All the same._

"Mercury! Come here."

There was a sound of footsteps downstairs, then a loud crash like glass breaking. A few muttered curses and then more footsteps. Finally, the silvered haired boy walked up the stairs that led to the basement, his usually "chill" expression one of vague fear now. Good. He came to stop a few feet from her.

"Yes, madam?"

"Mercury." Cinder caressed the name like a one would a lover. It would have sent erotic shivers down the spine of any man, but it gave the bastard teen a shiver of near horror. "Why did I hear that you have been flirting with some of the noble girls of the land? Even laying a few."

"Y-you said to blend in. Sir!"

Cinder raised an eyebrow at the response. Mercury had been with her for two years after she claimed she needed an apprentice/assistant for her Dust research, or that had been the official story anyway. At the start of his stay, he remained antisocial and barely ever left the grounds of her personal estate. This was fine for the first few months, easily dismissable as simple culture shock from moving from Mistral to Vale. After six months, however, Cinder encouraged Mercury to leave the house and make some acquaintances. Cinder knew not how longer her stay in Vale would last, so it was imperative they blend in.

"So I did. Though, I do remember saying to keep your distance while still being cordial. I did not believe you were so thick headed as to not understand I meant emotionally and physically, but you've gone and proven me a fool. Tell me, Black, do we need a lesson in proximity?"

Mercury shook his head, eyes boring a hole into the floorboards. Cinder chuckled and turned around to face the two female servants standing at the door. "I've invited a few guests. See to it that they are fed to their hearts content."

As the two White Fang rushed past her towards the kitchen, Cinder placed her gaze back on the gray-haired boy still avoiding eye contact. Using an index finger, she lifted Mercury's head by the chin so that he was staring directly into hers. Not trusting himself to breathe, the boy simply stared back. With a light smack on the cheek, Cinder pulled away and walked towards the staircase leading towards the upper levels.

"Find something sharp to wear. I want you looking at least half as good as me by the time Mr. Winchester and his associates show up."

"Yes madame," breathed the teen before also heading upstairs to change.

/-/

Nora was Jaune's first and only friend that wasn't family. It was an odd symbiotic relationship the two had, but certainly not a bad one. They were the same age when Jaune took a tour to the Royal Guard Hall with his father and wandered off to find adventure. Just so happened that adventure and a half found him instead in the form of a ginger ball of energy.

The age at which someone can become a Royal Guard member is 17, but Glynda and by extension the King had made an exception. Nora had been found by Ms. Goodwitch, wandering the castle grounds and challenging some of the noble children to fights. At this time she had been only 7 years old. Glynda promptly put the girl in one of the orphanages when she found out the girl had no parents to speak of and could find no record of "Valkyrie" in any of the censuses. She most likely thought that would be the end of it, but no such luck.

Not one, not two, not three, not five, but nine times Glynda got called back control the girl who boasted inhuman strength. The reason being that Nora at some point had her aura unlocked, not to mention a muscle enhancing semblance. Having her aura unlocked tipped Glynda off that Nora had possibly escaped an illegal sex trade, which regularly unlocked the aura of young girls so they will heal faster. Of course, this was just a theory, one that Nora herself neither confirmed nor debunked, claiming "I don't know" each time it came up.

Seeing that it wouldn't do to have a superhuman girl running around unsupervised, Ms. Goodwitch brought her into the Royal Guard Guild Hall to use all that energy in a more productive manner. It was a great deal for Nora, who quickly found a family in the Royal Guard members. All of the burly men and women treated her like the official little sister of the Hall and in true fashion, spoiled her rotten. Jaune remembered clearly the first time he met her, she claimed to be "Queen of the Castle." Definitely didn't help that Jaune only humored her more so by taking Nora to the actual throne room.

The two didn't become very good friends until Jaune was around twelve going on thirteen, that awkward stage where a boy begins to notice girls. Nora would have gone through a similar phase if she didn't know exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Any curiosity the Prince had, the Royal Guard companion would satisfy without a second thought. Naturally, Jaune returned the favor whenever his best friend wanted to try something new. Before either of them knew it, their relationship had taken an extremely physical turn. Not that either of them cared much.

"You know, Nora, you are a pretty bad girl for coming over here. Isn't curfew in an hour?" Jaune asked the lovely girl currently bent over his knee. When Nora had first said she was into this sort of thing, he didn't know how to react. Assertive, completely dominant? It really wasn't in his nature, but he gave it a shot. Oddly enough, it did help him to be a bit more confident in meetings, so a win-win all around. Sadly Nora wasn't just into being punished, but also giving the punishment. Those were the days Jaune didn't leave his room.

"Yes, I just never learn my lesson, your Highness," moaned Nora dutifully.

Jaune shook his head dejectedly, playing up the part. "Then I have no choice but to punish you for your insolence."

Holding nothing back, Jaune brought his hand down firmly on Nora's ass. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room as he struck again and again, each time harder than the last. Cute mews of pain and pleasure left his the small girl's lips. The sound was music to his ears. Deciding to give her a break, Jaune held back, and gently caressed the bruised skin of Nora's butt.

"Have you come to learn your lesson, Ms. Valkyrie?" Jaune was breathing rather heavily, the arousal and physical activity slowly getting to him. He barely could tell how long they had been at it, only going by how by the color of sunlight filtering through the window behind him.

"I- oh!"

Before she could answer the question, Jaune had already placed two fingers inside of her and began pumping in and out at a frustratingly slow pace. "I didn't hear an answer Ms. Valkyrie. Honestly, has Glynda taught you no manners?"

Nora began moaning loudly, to the point anyone outside the door or in the adjacent rooms could most likely hear. While the thought of getting caught was certainly thrilling, it wasn't exactly something he wanted.

"Silence yourself!" Despite demanding she be quieter, Jaune rapidly increased the speed of his fingers, adding third in the process. In an attempt to follow the order Nora placed both hands over her mouth, muffling the screams of pleasure, though it barely made a difference as the moans grew louder in volume.

"You always did have a big mouth, didn't you slut? I bet you would happy to get caught, right? To be caught bent over my knee like this. Answer!"

"YES!" Nora screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face.

Then like that, she came around his fingers, giving out one last desperate moan before going silent. Jaune sighed, wiping sweat from his brow as he removed his digits, causing Nora to shiver at the stimulation. Carefully he picked up the girl and laid her down on the bed and let her catch her breath. After about a minute, her eyes fluttered open meeting his. With a smile, he leaned down a kissed her deeply, one that she accepted readily.

"So how did I do?" Asked the boy, breaking the kiss to stare into his friend's eyes. She giggled and placed an index finger on his nose.

"Boop."

"That good, huh?"

The pair would have continued if not for a pounding on Jaune's chamber door that nearly made him jump out his own skin. When the knocking continued, the Prince rolled off his bed with a frustrated sigh and pulled on a pair of pants that rubbed painfully over his erection that still hadn't been taken care of. He walked to the door, motioning to Nora to hide. Once she was out of sight, Jaune cracked the door open.

"Oh, hey Velvet. You need something?"

The bunny faunus on the side nodded, while also trying not to look at him directly. "Your mother says that dinner is about to be served."

Jaune smiled at the servant. Velvet had been taken on just a few years ago, but from what Jaune had seen, she was very friendly. Genuinely so, not just because of his title.

"Thanks, Velvet. I'll be there in a second."

"Yes, sir!" Then like that, she wandered off. Jaune chuckled and closed the door turning back to see a now fully dressed Nora. She was humming a happy tune despite the sun being rather low in the sky and her curfew having no doubt past.

"Was that the cute bunny one?" She asked, lacing up her boots. Jaune nodded, grabbing a few towels from his drawer. There was no way he could go to dinner smelling like sex after all. So a quick shower was in order. "Maybe we should invite her next time?"

At the very thought, Jaune nearly dropped the items in his hand, a blush covering his face. Nora giggled and walked over to him, pulling Jaune into a chaste kiss before walking to the other side of the room where the window was. Then like every time she came to see him, she winked before going out the window, fearing no harm from the fall thanks to aura.

 _Wait, I never got to finish… Dang it._

/-/

 _Okay, I have probably missed dinner, but if I can sneak in and take a shower without being seen, then I can say I fell asleep under the water again! Hehe, thanks, brain._

The sun was just beginning to set, meaning that most were already heading inside. Just in case, however, Nora ran from shadow to shadow and stayed relatively hidden from view. It helped that she had done this so many times before that the quickest and safest route might as well have been ingrained into her memory.

Currently, Nora was in a bush waiting for a group of noblemen and women to pass by, but they apparently found great joy in standing out in the cold and laughing at the top of their lungs about nothing. Looking closely, she could just make out that the teenage boy standing beside his father had a large bird insignia on his jacket. Oh, they must be Winchesters.

"Yes, but I tell you, this Cinder Fall is a cut above the rest. Her estate is a little on the small side, but I hear it is well kept up. Though she did warn me that… animals are working for her," explained Henry Winchester to one of the gentlemen walking with him. The noblemen seemed to recoil a bit, but the man was able to calm them down. "Now, now, this is the only fault I have been able to find. I'm sure you all will get along quite well."

The men grumbled a bit but otherwise didn't protest. Seeing that there was nothing else to be said apparently, Henry put his hand on Cardin's shoulder and began walking with his associates towards where she could only assume was Cinder Fall's estate.

After they disappeared, Nora began her beeline towards the Guild Hall again, cursing her luck the whole way. By the time she arrived, the sun had gone completely over the horizon, leaving only a remnant of light left in the sky. The large wall around the Hall was only a minor annoyance, Nora easily able to vault over the barrier, while also avoiding the patrol on duty. She landed in the training grounds, kicking up a plume of sand with the messy landing. Picking herself up, she looked at the three-story Guild Hall itself and saw that there was still light emanating from the windows and the faint sound of laughing could be heard. _Thank goodness, they're still eating. I should be able to slip into the attic window and get to my room._

Nora got close to the stone building and prepared to scale it like many times previous, but then by a stroke of luck, someone walked out the back door to get some air, leaving it wide open. That works too I guess.

As silently as possible, she snuck up the wooden stairs that lead to the back door, cringing each time it squeaked. However, as she made it inside the warmth of the Hall, she breathed a sigh of relief. The shower room was on the first floor, so it would only be a matter of walking a few steps and she would be basically home free.

"Have a nice outing, Ms. Valkyrie?"

Nora froze in her spot as if struck by Ice dust. She didn't even have to turn around to know, that Glynda was nigh directly behind her. The pink bomber shivered, scared to turn around. She knew that Ms. Goodwitch wasn't angry, not really, just disappointed. Though, that was nearly worse than the former.

"Tell me, how is Prince Jaune doing?"

 _Busted._

A tired sigh escaped Glynda's lips and she turned to walk away. "Meet me in my office in five minutes. With that time I expect you to wash that smell off you. Am I understood?"

"Yes, madam."

/-/

A black crow cut through the salty night air, the wings catching onto the updrafts of the ocean underneath to conserve precious energy. The small creature had been flying nonstop for a few days now, only taking the very minimum amount of breaks in between large stretches of flying. If said bird was a human, it'd be taking large breaths in exhaustion.

 _I can't keep going like this, I need to rest somewhere and quick._

When Qrow had received the message from Atlas, he knew that it had to be delivered as soon as possible. The matter in question would change the political landscape of Remnant for many years to come and possibly bring in a new era. Seemed Atlas and Vale would finally set aside its tensions with a bond forged by blood. This being the case, Qrow had decided to take as little breaks as possible, but the constant flying took its toll, the stress on his arms akin to a nonstop battle.

Feeling a bit desperate, Qrow was about to just land in the water and float on his back for a few hours to replenish strength, but a much better option came into view. Though nearly hidden within the thick mist coming from the sea, he spotted a large passenger ship sailing slowly through the dark waters. Feeling obliged, he flew over the ship and turned human, landing with a loud thud on the deck. Breathing raggedly, Qrow tried to pick himself up but fell onto his stomach when his arms gave out along with his legs.

 _Guess I pushed myself a bit too far this time. Hehe, don't even have any alcohol left in my flask either. Oz better give me one Hell of a vacation after this._

It was currently night, so most if not all of the passengers would be asleep. It would give the faithful Knight time to recoup without being bombarded with questions. He viciously fought off the darkness creeping at the edges of his own vision, the promise of a sleep more tempting than a drunk Winter.

"Are you okay?"

The distinctly female voice came from behind Qrow and he instantly reached for his sword, only to groan in pain at the strain. Realizing that this person most likely wasn't a threat, Qrow forced himself to relax seeing as it was just a random passenger ship.

"Yeah. Just had one too many is all."

He felt a small hand latch on to his shoulder before being hoisted up. The small girl put his arm around her shoulder and helped him stand. His legs immediately began shaking at having weight put on them so soon. The Knight would have very well stumbled and fell flat on his face if not for the girl holding up all his weight.

"Can you walk?" She asked, voice laced in concern. The embarrassment of needing to be helped by a girl who couldn't be any older than his niece Yang was something that would not be lived down anytime soon.

"Yeah, I can walk. Thanks, kid."

The girl hummed but didn't respond. Instead, she focused on helping the man get down the stairs that led to the lower level and through the hallway. Finally, after maybe thirty minutes of shuffling and breaks, he made it what he presumed was the girl's room on the ship. She pulled out the room key and unlocked the door, helping him inside.

As expected, the windowless room was on the small side. There was only a small bed in the corner, a couch on the other side, a closet, and bathroom. She gently set him down on the twin sized bed and went to light a few dust candles on the nightstand. As soft illumination filled the area, Qrow could finally get a good look at his savior.

She was definitely a looker for her age. Her skin was dark and amazingly flawless, she had emerald green hair that came down in two long tails and most stunningly of all, two beautiful red rubies for eyes. If only she was legal. The girl sat down on the couch and crossed her legs, staring directly at him. Hating the silence, he decided to speak first.

"Uh, thanks, kid. I really owe you one for dragging my sorry ass off the deck. Guess you probably have some questions."

"A few. Mostly that I didn't know there was a Knight on board this ship."

Qrow internally groaned to himself. The gray robes that were standard for Vale Knights had never fared well with Qrow. Seeing as how he had been on official business, though, he had compromised with his signature red cape and lining with the robes. Though it seemed that his spin on the garb had been enough to tip the girl off.

"Heh, you got me. What gave it away?"

"That giant sword thing on your back," she deadpanned as if it was obvious. Yep, that would probably do it. Still, however, the speed at which she came up with that assumption was a little off putting. Qrow looked over at the nightstand and saw two green, bayoneted flintlock pistols. They both appeared to be heavily customized as well.

"You're not doing so bad on protection either I see. Where are you coming from needing to carry those things around?"

The dark skinned girl briefly flicked her eyes over to the nightstand where the weapons lay before turning back to him. "This ship is coming from Vacuo and headed to Vale. Protection is basically a must there."

 _So we're headed to Vale? Talk about lucky._

"I see. Visiting family up in Vale then?"

She nodded. "Yeah, my Aunt Fall."

 _Aunt Fall? No...it couldn't be…_

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"Emerald Sustrai. Yours?"

Damn. The Knight had talked to Cinder Fall a few times in the past and heard a lot about her. When she first came to Vale to act as a Dust advisor, her name had been thrown around in quite a few conversations in the castle. One thing he did remember was that Cinder Fall had a niece in Vacuo that she was quite fond of. A niece named Emerald.

"Qrow. Qrow Branwen. Hey, mind if I rest here for a minute Emerald? Promise to be out of your hair by tomorrow."

The girl smiled, getting up and walking over to the nightstand before blowing out the candles. "Stay as long as you need."

Qrow grinned graciously and closed his eyes, got comfortable, and breathed in and out. This was the most tired he'd been in a long time. Yet, the Branwen twin didn't get a wink of sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter one out of many to come. First off, do not expect a lemon each chapter. One of the editors who will not be named insisted I put it in and I just so happened to be completely willing. Second, there will be no set update schedule, but expect a chapter at least each month. Also, there is no official pairing. Will Jaune bed other girls...well stay tuned. Ask any question in a Review or PM and I'll answer it the best I can.**


	2. When Red Pupils Meet

_Chapter 2_ : When Red Pupils Meet

 _Beta:_ Shad0wReaper133

 **A/N: Just as a reference, Emerald's twin pistols will be referred to as "Dragons." For anyone interested, this is what the smaller form of a blunderbuss was often called.**

* * *

Emerald woke up from a fitful sleep, groaning slightly at the stiffness in her joints. It was mostly a result of sleeping on the uncomfortably small couch in the room. This was not the only thing that hindered a good night's rest, however. The fact that a Vale Knight, quite an infamous one at that, was currently bunking in her room was providing an unhealthy dose of anxiety. Knights were known for their intelligence, fighting prowess, and intuition. All things that could spell disaster if her act did not hold up perfectly. However, her previous training had set her at else to some extent.

Lying was always a bad idea, even when your whole life revolved around deception. It was easy to lose track of lies and truth if one was not careful, even if they were skilled in the ability. Thankfully, Emerald didn't think lying would be necessary for the duration of her interaction with Knight Branwen. The thing was that everything in Emeralds backstory was 100% truth. Was she the daughter of Ashly Sustrai (née Fall), sister of Cinder Fall? Yes. Was she from Vacuo? Yes. Were her adoptive parents going through a divorce at the moment? Yes. Thinking about it, there was no need to lie at all.

Looking around, the girl remembered that there was no window in the small room, meaning all light had to come from the candles on the small nightstand. Emerald stood and stretched out, enjoying the pop of her joints working out kinks. Suppressing a yawn, she stepped over to the nightstand and picked up the pack of matches she left next to the candles. Only as Emerald was about to light it, her peripheral vision picked up something on the bed. Or rather the lack of something.

 _He isn't here._

It wasn't a question. The Vale Knight that she had been nervous about was not even within the room anymore. Emerald put down the box of matched and walked briskly to the door. She nearly brought the twin Dust powered Dragons with as well, old habits still acting up. When she said it was bad to be caught without protection, the girl had meant it. Despite Vacuo technically being a Kingdom, it was more a loose affiliation of different cities and towns, bordering on lawless. Unlike the other Kingdoms, having physical power and having political power were one in the same. It was why the Sustrai family was one of the strongest in all the land. That power attracted rivals, however. Many in fact.

The red eyed teenager opened the door and immediately cringed at the light that flooded into the dark room. Not only the light, but sounds of passengers moving about on the deck, most likely acquiring breakfast or just general socializing. Considering that more than a few passengers were Vacuo raised, she didn't put it past them to be sipping whiskey along with their morning coffee and comparing firearm barrel lengths.

 _Hmm, I wonder if Mr. Branwen left?_

Emerald honestly hadn't seen how the Knight had gotten on the ship, the fog and being on the other side of the deck had ensured she was none the wiser. All she did know was that after a loud thud, he appeared on a ship he'd not been on before. This lead to the conclusion of some sort of transportation type semblance like flying, or possibly teleportation. Whatever it was, it must tax the body heavily to leave a no doubt formidable man unable to move. Emerald shrugged, deciding to get some breakfast and coffee before thinking any further on the matter.

As she walked down the lower level hallway towards the stairs that led to the deck, an irritating volume of laughter could be heard. It almost made her turn around, but the smell of eggs and the promise of a full stomach was entirely too tempting. The fools upstairs could be tuned out. Years of Mercury's snark had made developing the skill a must if sanity were to be retained. That was one thing she was not looking forward to in Vale. However, getting to lay eyes on her Aunt Cinder made the journey somewhat worth it.

Finally reaching the upper deck, Emerald was able to bask in the soft morning sunlight in all its grandeur. There was still a gray sheet of mist left over from the fog last night, though it would be gone before noon. A loud burst of laughter followed by more chatter caught Emeralds attention, while also reminding the girl what her current objective was. Acquire breakfast. As she walked to the dining area, she noticed that a lot of the passengers who usually slept in were waiting outside the dining area, or rather crowding the doorway with faces displaying varying levels of awe.

As the muttering and laughter died a bit, she could hear a familiar voice begin to speak. As she attempted to push through the crowd, it became apparent they were listening to the one talking, who was in the middle of some great tale.

"…So I'm at the Atlas Military Barracks, pants around my ankles, staring down two female Atlas Specialist and none other than James Ironwood walks in behind me. As I turn around, we meet eyes for what feels like a million years. It's then I realize that he's having an aneurysm and the time to beat the hasty retreat is now…"

The Valiean Knight paused to pick up a glass of what was certainly alcohol and downed it. Before the glass could be set back on the table, someone refilled it, to which Qrow nodded in thanks before starting again.

"Anyway, that was just my first twenty minutes in Atlas. Don't even get me started on Winter Schnee's tight as-"

That was when he noticed Emerald standing among the crowd, his eye lingering on hers for a moment before looking away.

"Anyway, that's about enough stories for now."

A collective groan went out over the crowd. Their disappointment over his resignation was soon overshadowed by the sight of a buffet being laid out along with plates being handed out. Soon a line was formed, one that Emerald managed to get in the front of. After scooping the eggs and various types of meat onto her plate, she walked over to the table Qrow was sitting at and took a seat. The grizzled man adjacent from her flashed a smile before downing another glass of brown liquid.

"Hey, kid. Sleep well?"

Emerald pushed down her irritation at not being addressed properly and put on a smile. "It was fine. How about you? It seems you got up on the right side of bed." That was the understatement of the year. The thief was surprised he wasn't leading the crew members and passengers in song.

"I'm doing alright."

The girl nodded and began eating. Other than being incredibly hungry, eating was much easier than socializing and no one has ever given away any important information with a mouth full of eggs. Well, no one with proper table manners, which had been drilled into her in the past year once it became official she would be going to see Cinder. It had been but a mere part of the extensive training she received.

"So, you're Cinder Fall's niece?"

 _Okay, he sure isn't beating around the bush._

"Yes! Yes I am," replied Emerald after swallowing what was in her mouth. _Did I sound too eager? Damn it! I hate this._

"I can certainly see the resemblance." Emerald stopped berating herself and thought about that comment. Was that sarcasm or not? His eyes gave nothing away, neither did his body language. His voice naturally sounded sarcastic, so it was impossible to figure anything out from that either. She decided to change the subject.

"I've always admired my aunt's body, so I'll take that as a compliment. Are you not eating, I'd think you'd be pretty hungry."

 _Did I just call my aunt attractive? Will that seem weird? I wasn't ready for this._

Qrow, who was in a very committed relationship with his glass, gave her a blank look. "I'll wait for the line to shorten."

Emerald nodded with a smile. "So you were talking about Atlas. Were you visiting friends?"

Oh course, Emerald knew that if a Knight went to another kingdom, it was almost certainly for business. But she couldn't just outright ask about that without sound suspicious or too informed on political matters. But she also couldn't come off as completely ignorant, because that would also be suspicious.

"No. Official Vale Kingdom business. Top secret."

 _Top secret? Weren't you just bragging about your sexual conquest of Atlas five minutes ago?_

"Right. If I may ask, how did you get here? I doubt you swam and there isn't a boat nearby."

Qrow gave her a hardened stare that sent a shiver down Emerald's spine. Had that been to forward of a question? Oh, how she wished Cinder was here, or even Ashly. Both were extremely adept at distracting men and women alike. That tutelage had been somewhat passed down through training, but her level of skill was nowhere near either.

"My semblance allows me a lot of mobility," the Knight finally answered, not actually answering the question at all. That could mean an almost unlimited amount of things. Flying, teleportation, opening portals in space or turning into a fish. The list could go on. But it was the most she'd get, so might as well drop the subject. "Speaking of which, I should probably get going soon. Don't want to cause any of the good people on this ship trouble."

 _What does he mean by that?_

Before she could ask, the vessel was rocked violently to the side, causing Emerald to fall to the floor along with everything that wasn't nailed down. As she attempted to get up, the ship lurched violently to the other side, causing the girl to tumble backs, only being stopped by the strong arms of the grey Knight she'd been conversing with a moment before.

"Grimm! Grimm incoming" could be heard from the lookout on the deck. "Get the guns!"

The sound of footfalls erupted in the room. Most were still partially on the floor as they scrambled to get to their rooms and retrieve the weapons they had bragged about the entire trip thus far. Any Vacuo resident worth their salt would most likely be on deck with an ammo belt in the next minute. Determined not to be helpless during this ordeal, Emerald - with help from Qrow – rose to her feet, steadying herself so as to not fall again.

"Damn," muttered the Knight to himself before reaching behind his back and grabbing the handle to his oversized blade. It seemed he would be entering the fray as well.

"Wait, aren't you still tired?" Emerald asked in a concerned tone that surprised even herself. A night of sleep was great, but there was no way he was already at one hundred percent after not even being able to move last night. For goodness sake, he hadn't even eaten breakfast yet. Qrow looked down at the girl he was still keeping steady and genuinely smiled.

"Don't worry about me kid. Danger is in the job description." Then he took a swig of the glass that somehow didn't fall with the table and moved towards the exit, unfazed by the intense rocking of the ship. On the other side of the spectrum, Emerald stumbled and half fell her way to the exit. When she finally tumbled through the doorway, the first thing she noticed was that something was blocking out the sunlight. Looking up, she saw the cause.

"Holy shit."

Grimm was usually just an annoyance in Vacuo. Everyone, for the most part, knew how to fight and even had their aura unlocked. Of course, there were the times when the concentration of Grimm got so bad that the current ruling class needed to send reinforcements to a city or town. Emerald herself killed many Grimm in the past. However, in all those years, she'd never seen one this _big._ On the sea or otherwise.

It was a serpentine type Grimm, that being evident from the lack of appendages. Its large body – which was wider than the ship – was coated in scales that oozed pitch black lubricant. The beast had lifted itself from the water and was currently staring down at the vessel with a single red eye surrounded by long tentacles. The aquatic Grimm was tall - at least 10 meters – not including the part still underneath the water. Its mass alone could easily capsize the ship.

Emerald, who finally seemed to get her bearings, quickly jumped to the side, narrowly missing a drop of the black fluid hitting the deck. Before her eyes, the small stain slowly turned into a miniature serpentine Grimm, which immediately began wiggling around on deck.

 _Yeah, I'll pass._

The girl sprinted as quickly as possible to the staircase that led to the lower levels, narrowly avoiding falling drops of black Grimm emission. Once she got there, however, she saw that the entrance had bottled necked with people either going down stairs to retrieve weapons, or people leaving with weapons.

 _This is the last time I leave my guns._

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, space opened in the crowd, as she was able to sneak through, running down the hallway to her room. Emerald fumbled with keys, nearly toppling over again when the ship lurched to the side so violently she feared it would completely capsize. Not long after that, she could hear the sound of gunfire and screams. When the ground somewhat stabilized, she stood back up and unlocked the room, quickly running to her nightstand, grabbed her two Dragon's, and put them in her back holsters. Then Emerald nicked her ammo belt that had been placed on the couch and raced back out into the hallway. By the time she made it back to the deck, the situation had gone to shit.

Emerald first noticed that the flooring was covered in the small wiggling serpentine Grimm. That wouldn't have been such an issue if not for the fact that those things were latching on to anything with a pulse and attempting to drain them dry. So this made it so that the passengers were having to divert their attention from the giant Grimm and the little parasites it was spawning. The girl nearly considered just going back downstairs.

 _Why isn't Knight Branwen doing anything about this?_

As if to answer her question, a silver streak cut through the sky towards the giant Grimm. Qrow, holding his massive blade in reverse grip, somersaulted mid-air and landed a devastating cut on the beast, nearly cutting the thing in half. Despite this, the tentacles near its face surged forward and attempted to immobilize the Knight, who quickly deflected them before falling back down to the deck. Qrow panted raggedly, apparently winded by a brief moment of actively, and looked up with a grimace as the damage he had inflicted regenerated.

 _Not only is he still tired from yesterday, but that thing can regrow its body mass. Not to mention-_

Emerald never finished the thought, her body acting on instinct. Two parasite-type Grimm that had been spawned by the larger serpentine Grimm lunged forward to from the deck at the distracted Knight. Not a second later, both were mere stains on the deck courtesy of Emerald's twin Dragons. Afterward, she made her way over to Qrow.

"Are you okay?" Emerald yelled over the screaming and gunfire happening all around. The Knight turned around and their gazes met. Two set of crimson eyes. In that moment, an understanding was reached, though Emerald was unaware of what it was. Qrow turned back around a second later to face the massive Grimm threatening to kill them all.

"I'm fine, just a little winded is all. That thing you're looking at is Dianoga Grimm, native to these waters. They spawn small parasite version of themselves to drain the body mass of ship passengers to add to their own. The fact this one is so large means that it must be a least a few hundred years old. The only way to kill it is to destroy the eye."

Qrow got to his feet again, Emerald staying close to make sure he didn't falter. "The more you slice it, the weaker the tentacles protecting the eye become. The only problem is that I'm low on steam and cannot seal the deal like I usually would."

The ex-thief finished the thought for him. "But if someone could give you adequate cover, then you'd be able to get in a hit?"

Qrow smiled. "Bingo. Think you can do it?" Emerald briefly looked around to see if someone else could help as well, but everyone seemed concerned with either stomping, shooting, or stabbing the parasites.

"Yes. You can count on me."

/-/

The Arc dinner table was a place of deception, passive aggression, and miscommunication. In a nutshell, it was no different from what Jaune dealt with during the day in endless meetings. Just like those meetings, Jaune often listened more than spoke.

"So Ginger, I heard that you skipped cornelian lessons again in favor of playing in the garden with Amber. Is this true?"

Ginger – Jaune's third oldest sister – shook her head in the negative. Of course, this was, in fact, a boldface lie, everyone except mother knew too. However, as siblings in trust, they would not betray each other. Instead of asking her directly, Indigo Arc, mother of eight, turned her sharp gaze to Jaune's sixth oldest sister, Amber.

"Am, was Ginger playing in the garden with you. Come on, tell mommy," cooed the blond haired women, staring down the little girl from across the table. Amber was sitting next to Jaune on his left, while Hazel was sitting directly to his right. It was an old habit, seeing that Jaune was the oldest, he had always felt it was his responsibility to help his two youngest sisters. Of course, there were servants for that like Velvet, who had been a personal servant for years, but Jaune still took pride in doing it himself.

Underneath the table, Amber reached out and held Jaune's hand for mental support as she answered her mother. "U-Um…no Mommy. Ginger wasn't there when I played in the garden. Right, Lavender?"

Lavender, who had inherited all of Aunt Peach's innate social ability, barely even looked up. "Yeah, I didn't see Ginger when me and Amber were playing."

Indigo Arc, Mistral born and raised, gazed at Lavender for a few seconds before going back to eating. Despite having lived in Vale for over twenty years now, and being more cunning than a snake with all the bite that goes with it, she was no match for the combined might of the Arc children. The two best liars Jaune had ever met was his Aunt, Iris Arc Peach, and Ozpin. He'd been trained by the latter while his sisters often learned from Aunt Peach.

His mother had been a Mistral Noblewoman by birth, being closely related to the current ruling family, Nikios. A few decades ago, Mistral and Vale had been in a feud, which ended in a political marriage to ease tension. With that marriage came a trade agreement, meaning Vale would not run dry on coffee or tea anytime soon, and the whole Kingdom rejoiced with the crisis averted.

"So Jaune sweetie, how was work?"

The Prince looked up from his meal and gazed into his mother's light green eyes. "It was alright I guess. The meeting got cut relatively short today, so that was a nice surprise. We'll start back up again when Knight Branwen returns with news from Atlas."

His mother nodded, satisfied with the answer. She would have gone back to eating if not for the interjection of his second oldest sister, Nightingale. "So brother, what else did you _do_ after the meeting?"

 _Dang it, I told Nora to not scream so loud._ "Wh-"

"Big Brother took a nap," interrupted Hazel, an adorable pout resting on her face. "Even though he promised to play with me today."

Nightingale quirked an eyebrow but didn't attempt to correct the little girl, instead, setting on smiling at Jaune coyly. "He played with someone," she muttered, barely audible to anyone at the table. Lavender elbowed her out of sight to make the girl shut up.

 _Good ol Lavender, I promise to never marry you off._

Jaune was about to continue eating until noticed that not only was his plate empty, he wasn't hungry anymore. _Guess I'm done here._ Not a moment after thinking this, there was a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw his personal assistant and servant, Velvet Scarlatina – a bunny Faunus – standing behind him, looking as flustered as usual. Why she was always so nervous, Jaune would never know.

"Hey Vel, what's up?"

"Head Advisor Ozpin has requested your presence," she whispered into his ear. Jaune hummed in response before standing up, wiping his mouth with a napkin before placing it on the plate. Everyone stopped eating and looked in his direction.

"Sorry everyone, Ozpin needs to see me." Despite them being a bit annoying at times, Jaune loved his family dearly and genuinely wanted to spend more time with them. Sadly, it seemed that wasn't in the cards this evening. "Have a nice rest of the night."

Everyone at the table waved goodbye, Hazel, and Amber even going as far as to get up and hug him. After affectionately rubbing their hair, Jaune followed Velvet out the room along with two Royal Guard members close behind. It was hard to tell in the dark corridor only lit by dust candles which Guard members they are, but Jaune was fairly certain he didn't know them by name. Nora had introduced Jaune to quite a few over the years as well.

"So Vel, what's this meeting even about?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure," replied the girl, not breaking stride. "I'm usually not privy to such information, Your Highness."

Jaune nearly rolled his eyes at the "Your Highness" part. Seriously, he had known this girl for years and still the formalities. Although, he could understand the fear. Many servants were replaced at the drop of a hat in other Kingdoms and even right here in Vale. Especially if the owner of one got "bored" of them. Despite going through a phase where Jaune was pretty sure he developed a Faunus fetish, the Prince had never used the faithful bunny servant in that way, even if it was well within his ability to do so.

"Hey Velvet, have you seen anything interesting?"

"Sire, what do you me-"

"Come on Vel. Have you seen anything noteworthy?" Jaune couldn't be everywhere, in fact, he rarely left the castle grounds. Seeing as that was the case, he had informants which could tell him what was going on. For instance, Peach knew about nearly everything happening within the Kingdom. But it was still good to ask the people who no one gives a second glance. Velvet went out of the castle grounds occasionally, so who knows? It could never hurt to ask.

"W-well, my friend Coco said that M-Mister Winchester came into her shop today to pick up a freshly washed and hemmed coat."

 _Winchester._ Of course, it was no crime to spruce up your coat. However, the fact that he got this information along with seeing Cinder Fall speaking quite familiarly with him just earlier didn't sit right. He'd have to look into it later.

"Thanks, Velvet. Also, you did mean Coco, the owner of Coffee Thread's, right?"

The bunny nodded, "Yes. She and I have been very good friends for quite a while now."

Coffee Thread's had been a staple in the Kingdom for a very long time, the fact Velvet was friends with the current owner was known only to a few. This wasn't the first time she had mentioned Coco Adel with some level of affection. It wasn't that the relationship was kept hidden, it simply rarely came up. Coco was eccentric to a high degree. She was one of the only places that openly served Faunus. Even if it did hurt business, she would not have cared. It did not hurt business, however, for one reason.

Coco was the very best at what she did, which was blend coffee and make clothes. Despite the coffee beans coming from Mistral, it was Coco who provided the special blend for Beacon Castle and the rest of the Kingdom. Seeing that many were in fact addicted to the coffee, her business rarely suffered because of racist. Also, she was easily the most well-known tailor in all of Vale, having picked up the skill from her father – Arabica Adel – before he passed. So the nobles, despite most loathing Faunus and all who associated with them, were still regular customers of the shop.

"Yes, I do recall you telling me that once."

Jaune would have continued to chat with the bunny, but they had arrived at the room. Velvet opened the door for him and bowed. "Ozpin should be right in here."

"Thanks, Velvet." Then Jaune steps inside, looking around the small room. It was hardly furnished, only a small wooden table in the corner with a few chairs to match with the table. On the other side of the room were large Dust candles to generate sufficient light. It was a room Jaune had been in many times before, for whatever reason Ozpin frequently met him here to talk about important matters. It was far off from the rest of the rooms in the castle, and the door was multiple inches thicker than the standard. No windows either, hence the need for candles. At the table, Ozpin sat drinking coffee, his cane resting against the wall nearby.

"Mr. Arc, glad you could make it. I apologize if my request of your presence interrupted your dinner."

"No trouble at all," replied Jaune stepping into the room. The door was promptly shut behind him by the Royal Guard affiliates outside.

"Take a seat and we can begin."

/-/

The Senior Knight leaped high into the air and began running up the side of the Dianoga Grimm. Not only was he running vertically up the massive creature, he had to be extremely light footed so as to not become stuck on the ooze seeping through its scales. As he neared the top, the 12 tentacles protecting the eye didn't take notice, Emerald keeping her end of the deal by distracting them with a hail of precise gunfire aimed at the eye. While being somewhat small, the twin Dragon pistols pack an incredible amount of firepower, not to mention reload time was cut to nearly nothing with the speed of Emerald's hands.

 _Man, Vacuo is something else. The kids there could best some our Knights._

"Mr. Branwen, watch out!"

Looking up, Qrow saw two of the massive tentacles moving towards him. Flipping his sword out of reverse grip, the knight slashed apart the first one, struggling to rip through its thick plating. The second one would have had a clean shot at his body if not for Emerald blasting it with an intense shell of Fire-type Dust. Despite not having enough fire power to destroy the tentacle, it did give Qrow the chance to avoid the attack and cut through the appendage.

Just as his blade tore through the armored tentacle, two more explosions happened above at Emerald diverted two new tentacles that attempted to grab and rip him apart. Two cuts ripped them apart in short order. Four of the remaining eight appendages surged forward, only to retract quickly when an explosion made contact with the eye. The giant serpent Grimm began to thrash about in the water, causing waves comparable to a vicious sea storm. Qrow impaled his blade as far into the thick body as possible so not to be thrown. The twenty foot fall into the dark waters below wouldn't be fatal, but he'd rather avoid it.

"Mr. Branwen!"

The Knight looked back down to the ship, seeing that Emerald was attempting to get his attention. He also noticed that not only had the other patrons more or less killed the parasites, they had brought out their main cannon.

"Get ready!"

With that being said, two sailors hefted a large drill shaped shell of iron into the cannon and aimed it roughly near the top of the Grimm. Everyone on deck plugged their ears as the fuse was lit. Qrow breathed deeply, waiting to see what type of firepower it was packing. He wasn't disappointed.

The weapon exploded like an overdue volcano, ejecting smoke and ash along with the ammunition. The sound alone could have been weaponized, resembling an overhead thunder clap. What was truly impressive was the fact the metal drill seared through the Grimm's hide as if it was wet paper, ripping the head apart along with the eye.

The large Grimm stiffened immediately when the pulsating red eye was torn apart as if stricken with sudden rigor mortis. Black steam jetted out from under the black scales as the monster began to decay and dissipate. Thick ooze pooled around where the head used to be, this also evaporated away into the air, forming a rather large cloud of smoke. Qrow felt his blade loosen from where it was lodged into the hide, the muscle of its body quickly turning into steam. The Knight removed his sword and kicked off the body, making sure the large mass fell away from the ship. He fell to the deck on unstable legs, nearly collapsing from the effort of standing if not for Emerald catching him, a concerned look in her eye.

 _Guess not sleeping was a bad call. Neither was booze for breakfast._

"Thanks… Emerald," he panted out. The Knight barely even registered the victory party that had started up in the background. Looking over to his side, he saw that the still smoking cannon was damn near ruined, the metal on the end seemed to be partially melted and chipped. The dark skinned girl supporting his weight followed his line of sight to the once functioning weapon.

"I might have added a little extra fire dust," she commented off-handedly. "I saw that you were still really tired, so ending it as quickly as possible was the best plan."

"And if you had missed?" In all honesty, with the Grimm rocking the boat as much as it was, the fact they had made the shot was a miracle. She smiled a bit.

"You're a Knight, I'm sure you'd have thought of something."

Qrow chuckled at the thought, though with the crisis averted, he began to contemplate his leave. This passenger ship was full of fun loving Vacuo men and women who under no normal circumstances should have attracted a Grimm of that size or variety. The logical conclusion was that it had been bad luck. _His_ bad luck. He had to leave this ship, whether he was in the condition to do so or not. Especially seeing that a Council Members niece was a passenger.

"Hey, take me to food," muttered Qrow. He cocked his head in thought a moment later. "And booze."

"There probably isn't any made at the moment except possibly some breakfast leftovers and those probably got thrown to the floor with the attack? We can check, though."

The Vale Knight didn't respond, instead, allowing Emerald to lead him to the kitchen where, thank the lord, the cook had begun grilling up a side of beef in celebration of living through a Grimm attack. A few of the crew members had begun setting up the tables and chairs that had fallen over. Emerald set him down gently in one of these chairs.

"Hey, I'm not a piece of glass, okay? I'm not going to break."

"If you say so. I'll go ask the cook if we can get something now to hold you over until the meat is done." Qrow opened his mouth to say it wasn't necessary, but she'd already left to ask on his behalf.

 _Huh, maybe she is alright after all. Deadly, but alright. Like Yang. Just because I've always been suspicious of Cinder, but she doesn't give off the same vibe._

Yes, Cinder Fall gave off a similar aura to Raven Branwen, which wasn't a good thing. That assistant she kept around gave off a similar vibe in the right situations, but not to the same extent. This girl, on the other hand, seemed kind, possibly even genuinely so. Before he continued that trail of thought a large plate full of bacon fell in front of him.

"You're in luck Mr. Branwen. They had a bunch of bacon left from breakfast considering everyone went out to fight. Eat up."

Not needing to be told twice, Qrow tucked into the cold meat happily. "Oh, and Emerald. Call me Qrow."

/-/

"So that's all you needed me for?"

Ozpin looked up from his mug coffee and smiled at the boy in front of him. He'd seen Jaune grow up from a baby to the man sitting here today. He'd knew that this talk would have to happen at some point, considering some of the legends about Arc vitality, sooner rather than later. Though the Head Advisor did wish Jaune's father was alive to do this. However, that would be put off until Qrow returned. Ozpin set down his mug next to a stack of papers Peach had delivered a few hours ago, all outlining various grievances happening throughout the Kingdom.

"I think so. Thank you Mr. Arc, I'll see you tomorrow."

Jaune nodded and stood to leave. As he walked to the door, the Arc heir noticed that Ozpin stayed seated. "Listen Ozpin, if there is still more work to do, I can stay and help." The Head Advisor smiled and waved him away.

"I assure you Jaune that there is no more paperwork to be done. I'm simply expecting a visitor in a few moments is all." Jaune excepted the answer and unlocked the door, pushing it open and allowing light to flood into the dark hallway where several Royal Guard were waiting. With a final wave, the Prince disappeared from view as he was escorted to his room. Ozpin looked down at his swirling coffee mug and took a sip.

"Honestly, I don't understand your love of that stuff."

"Hello to you too Glynda," spoke Ozpin without looking up. As always, Glynda was punctual to a fault. The Guard standing watch outside the door quickly moved, allowing their superior inside the small room. With a wave of the hand, the door shut behind her and she sat down opposite to the older man.

"So, I take it this meeting is about our deal with Atlas?" Ms. Goodwitch questioned, placing her riding crop down on the table next to a particularly precarious pile of parchment. Ozpin nodded solemnly and drank down another sip of coffee. He had been Head Advisor for a very long time, but decisions like this always left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Yes. It's no secret that I dislike hiding information from our young heir and I know he would do anything to preserve the Kingdom of Vale's safety. However, I cannot help but feel his judgment may be somewhat hindered on this subject."

Glynda's eyes softened a bit. She had a soft spot for the boy as well – having kept a watchful eye on him for years it was difficult not to. Though as Ozpin had said, it was ultimately for the best that this comes as a surprise for him.

"So there can be no other arrangements."

Ozpin shook his head. He and Ironwood of Atlas had known each other a long time and both came to the conclusion that peace could only be found with blood. "You've seen the letters from James. Whether or not this is happening is not up for questioning or why I called you here."

Ms. Goodwitch nodded. "Yes, I know." She waited a few seconds before continuing. "I caught Nora sneaking back from the castle. Her reasoning for going there in the first place was less than innocent."

Ozpin nodded. Nora and Jaune's friendship was no secret. The sexual nature of the relationship was hardly a secret either within their circle. Most of the Guard was aware, along with himself, Port, Peach, Oobleck, Qrow, Tai, and a few of the servants.

"I take it you spoke to her?"

"Yes."

"Do you think she'll listen?"

Glynda paused for a moment. "At this point, cutting off the relationship would be like Atlas disbanding their military. So I merely made sets to minimize any damage."

Ozpin nodded once again, smiling for a split second. Of course, Glynda caught this. "I didn't think you'd find this situation so humorous."

The good Advisor shook his head and took another sip of his coffee. "Well, I would say discretion is the best we can ask for. You treat Ms. Valkyrie more like a daughter than a subordinate, so I highly doubt she will receive any harsh repercussions. Plus, this kind of thing is hardly rare. Why, Jonathan went so far as to father children with his mistress, Faunus children at that."

Glynda placed her head into her hands, remembering the nightmare that had been to deal with and cover up. Jonathan had been a good man, a great King, and a gentle husband. However, keeping it in his pants was something him and many Arc's before seemed to struggle with.

"Anyway, I made sure to ask if she was on any contraceptives; which she is. Ms. Valkyrie also mentioned that she and Jaune rarely participate in and I quote, 'boring vanilla sex.' Without asking I might add, she began to describe in detail just what sort of things her and our dear Prince have been up too. Apparently, the contraceptives have only truly been needed three out of the many times."

Ozpin - who didn't seem surprised by any of this - nodded. "To be young again. Well, I do hope you stressed the importance of discretion, especially within the coming weeks."

Glynda nodded. "Yes, after Qrow arrives with news from Altas, any and all activity between the two must stop. There are enough rumors as it is and it wouldn't do any good to have them flying around. So I told Ms. Valkyrie to get it out of her system before then."

Ozpin took the last sip of coffee, the mug finally running out of the liquid that gave him life. "I suppose that is the end of this discussion then." He rose from the table and grab his cane, Glynda rising with him. The two walked towards the door. "Oh, and Glynda. Is it possible you are so lenient with Nora because of your own experiences?"

Ms. Goodwitch, the women in charge of keeping the most important members of the Vale Kingdom safe, Ozpin included, stopped dead. A purple glow emitting off her riding crop, the air crackling with restrained energy. Ozpin's expression stayed unchanged, his skin, however, slowly began to pale.

"I'll give you ten seconds to leave this room," spoke the blond women with a perfectly even voice. "Ten, nine, eight, se-"

The Royal Guard standing outside barely registered the green blur that pushed open the door and made tracks down the hallway.

* * *

 **A/N: And the plot continues to thicken. I think it is pretty obvious what the deal with Atlas will be by this point, but the answer will be revealed next chapter anyway. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	3. Announcement

Chapter 3: Announcement

* * *

"I swear, the view from here never gets old."

Being the errand boy for a kingdom was tiring, extremely so. If one wasn't careful, they might even begin to feel weighed down by such a position of importance. The way Qrow saw it, however, it was a chance to stop and smell the roses in the most majestic of places. Some areas that probably would remain untouched by man for as long as Grimm persisted.

Right now, his venue was the peak of the mountains that bordered the Valean Kingdom. Over the years, it had become a favorite pit stop just before entering the Kingdom. The soft, violet glow of the rising sun behind the Knight slowly crept over the tall peaks of what was currently called Mount Glenn and bathed Vale in its vibrant hue. It was times like this the Branwen Knight was glad his semblance was one that allowed the scenic route rather than an ability like his sister. Although, Raven was never one for admiring picturesque lands or stopping to smell any sort of flower, much less a rose.

Qrow took his flask out of his jacket pocket and knocked back the little bit that was left, only sating his thirst to the smallest degree possible. _Honestly, I should just keep a mini bar up here. There aren't that many Grimm and I stop up here like once a week. Could even be a nice vacation spot._

Scratching his beard, which had grown quite thick in the absence of a razor, Qrow looked back over the landscape. The martyr reds, lively iliac, and golden tints reminded the man of his nieces and brother. Well, Tai was like the brother he never had anyway. It seemed lately he'd been seeing them a lot in the different landscapes that he flew over. After Summer…well, he knew how quickly a man could lose someone important. He knew how important it was to see the ones you care about whenever possible because Dust knows the future was uncertain.

"Damn, I'm too sober for this," muttered Qrow, standing up from his sitting position in the grass. Or as Yang would probably say, 'my head stays in the clouds'. The pun being a play on his semblance had gotten a laugh out of him and still brought a smirk to life on his face years later. Still feeling rather thoughtful, he marched to the edge of the cliff and leaped off, letting the air embrace him. The thrill of the freefall was somewhat undercut by the fact he would turn into a crow at the last second. However, the urge to allow himself to hit the jagged rocks below kept his heart beating. Would this be the time? Would this finally be the day he stopped struggling and threw in the towel?

There was a dark place that readily answered in the affirmative…and it scared the Hell out of him. The Knight transformed into his avian body earlier than usual and swooped upward away from oblivion. Better not to tempt fate like that anyway, especially considering his luck. The fact he didn't know whether painting the rocks below the color of Ruby's corset would be good or bad luck was upsetting as well.

/-/

"N-Nora, please let me leave…"

The red-haired girl propped herself up on the sheets and cocked her head to the side, staring at the exhausted Prince curiously. "Wait, are we doing non-consensual role-play again, or do you actually want to leave this time?"

Jaune looked at his best friend with an expression that was far past mere exasperation. Honesty, when she had appeared at his window with a sack of food and several jugs of water, the Prince should have run in the other direction as fast as possible. He was so sore, Jaune didn't even know if he was able to stand, much less leave at this point. "The…first three… times I was serious. Just give me a second, okay?"

Despite being rather annoyed at the Royal Guard member, he still couldn't find it in him to be angry. It wasn't like he missed any meetings, seeing that the council was waiting on Qrow to arrive, so he hadn't lost anything. Velvet had been told to keep others away from his room under the guise that he was attempting to get extra rest. Which honestly was so far from the truth it was nearly comical. "Hey, weren't you supposed to be in for curfew like…31 hours ago?"

Nora sat up and stretched, giggling a bit. "Nope. In fact, Master Goodwitch was the one that suggested this."

The blond lying beside the girl nearly bit off his tongue and choked on it. Of all the things that Nora had ever said, this was by far the most outlandish. Crazier than when she suggested Ozpin's cane had to have magical abilities or when she asked him to help in pulling off the greatest syrup heist in Vale history. Glynda "No Nonsense" Goodwitch, had not only approved of his and Nora's sexual relationship but sent the Valkyrie to attempt to break the Remnant World record for the longest single session of intercourse? Simply not possible. Not to mention Tai would lose it if someone broke his record.

"I-What?"

Nora rose from the bed and walked to one of his drawers, pulling out a pink towel and a fresh pair of underwear. _The fact she has multiple pairs of clothes here probably isn't good. Especially when Velvet does laundry._

"Yep. Master Goodwitch said to burn out all my sexual frustration before Knight Branwen arrives. So, being a girl that can follow orders, I obeyed. To. The. _Letter_ ," explained the ginger haired, accenting the last word with a growl. Prince Arc whimpered a bit and pulled the covers closer to his body. He didn't know if he'd survive another round. Nora flashed a quick predatory grin before walking into his personal bathroom for a shower. Jaune let out a breath, thankful he wasn't asked to join.

 _And isn't that something I never thought I'd think._

The blond pushed off his bed and pulled on a pair of shorts. The air and most likely himself reeked of sex, so leaving the room before taking a shower was most definitely out of the question. Not even two moments after thinking this, a soft knock came from his door.

"Mr. Arc, are you decent," asked Ozpin from behind the thick wooden door. Reflexively he yelled back a "yes," then chastised himself a moment later as the door was pushed open. Jaune knew that the room must smell like a brothel at this point, yet Ozpin seemed to not even register the odor. Velvet, who happened to be behind the Head Advisor, certainly wasn't as skilled at keeping such a poker face. Her nose crinkled in disgust to the point Jaune thought it might disappear. She even went so far as to grab her large bunny ears and used them as a makeshift mask.

"I'll come back later," squeaked the maid, who disappeared so quickly it was as if she'd developed a speed semblance through necessity. Jaune sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair, slightly annoyed Ozpin didn't give him any sort of heads up. Of course, the smug bastard would feign innocence while sipping coffee in the face of any such accusations.

Slightly flushed at the embarrassment he'd just suffered, the Prince attempted to change the subject. "Uh, Ozpin. Is there something you needed from me?"

The man of indiscernible age sipped from his faithful mug, Ceramic White, and smiled. "Well, I merely came to inform you that Knight Branwen has returned and an official meeting with him well be held in a few hours. Also, I wanted to make sure you were still alive. It has been brought to my attention that Ms. Valkyrie can be quite overzealous at times."

And the humiliation never ended.

There was a light sound of feet walking on stone floors outside the room, followed by Jaune's third oldest sister popping her head in. The bright smile she wore quickly turned into a grimace, however. "Oh, dear lord! Did you too have sex on top of dead animals?!" Ginger, despite covering her nose to the best of her ability, was still gagging and nearly fell over.

"Is Jaune finally up," came an innocent voice down the hallway. Ginger face along with Jaune's devolved into horror. His sister slammed the chamber door shut a moment later. From outside the door, he could hear "Jaune is in the shower right now" and "don't bother him."

 _The second I inherit Corea Mors I'm falling on top of the blade._

"Right. Well, thank you for the heads-up Ozpin, I'll be sure to be ready by the time Qrow arrives at the castle."

The older gentleman in the room beamed as he took another sip from his mug. "Excellent. I'm sure it will be a meeting you'll never forget." The last part was mumbled by the Head Advisor, but Jaune was still able to pick up on it. He would have asked what Ozpin meant, but it was at that time Nora walked out of the bathroom in only a pink towel wrapped around her waist and bust, leaving little to the imagination.

"Hey Jaune, I…"

Nora stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the gray-haired coffee addict in the room along with Jaune. Silence prevailed as Ozpin raised his mug to her as if to say, "top of the morning." The now red faced girl slinked back into the bathroom and closed the door. It was rare to see her show shame, in fact, the Prince doubted if she had any at times, however, Nora did have a vast respect for her superiors, Ozpin included.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then." The Head Advisor opened the door and left, disappearing into the hallway. Honestly, the man most likely stayed just long enough to cause as much humiliation as possible. It made sense, seeing that his mentor had always warned against having sexual relationships out of wedlock and this was probably just some demented form of revenge for disobeying.

"Is he gone," asked Nora from the bathroom, far meeker than usual. Jaune was almost tempted to try and tease her while in this state, but he had to get ready.

"Yea, Oz is gone. You can come out." She stepped out, face covered in a shameful blush. His childhood friend then went about acquiring clothing from his drawers. The Prince shrugged at the sudden bashfulness – guessing it was the fact this was the first-time Ozpin blatantly caught them – and headed towards the bathroom to take a much-needed shower.

"Did Head Advisor Ozpin say anything about Qrow?"

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, apparently, he's back and a meeting is being held in a few minutes. Why?"

Nora's face took on a strange expression. She moved toward him slowly and leaned in, kissing him chastely on the cheek. It was such an oddly intimate moment that Jaune blushed despite himself. After her lips left his cheek, the usually brutish girl embraced him from behind and pressed her head into his back. The act was so _unlike_ Nora that he quickly assumed something must be wrong. Not to say that his friend couldn't or wouldn't be sweet, but this had come from nowhere.

"Uh, Nora? Is something wrong?"

"…No."

"Er, are you sure?" Now Jaune was very worried. _What the heck is going on?_ Instead of answering the question posed, Nora released Jaune and walked backward, shaking her head at some imaginary joke. " _Nora_?"

"Jaune, shouldn't you be getting ready?"

 _She's right. Although, the fact that Nora is avoiding this is telling._

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Will you be one of the guards on watch at the meeting?"

Nora looked to the side in thought while lacing up her boots. "I'm not sure. I haven't been in contact with Master Goodwitch for nearly 2 days now. Probably not."

"Okay," sighed the teen. That would have made things slightly easier. "Well, I guess I'll just look for you afterward then."

A small grin appeared on Nora's face. "Oh, Jauney Boy, you won't have time for me after today."

 _What?_

"What?" Squeaked out Jaune, his voice cracking at the high pitch. Of course, they didn't see each other as much, but his duties weren't that severe. "I'll always h-"

Nora raised a finger. "Uh, uh, uh. Remember our rule about lying to each other? Now I will always have time for you, my beloved Prince, because it is my burden as a Royal Guard and you are my best friend. But your burden is the entire Kingdom, and if you were to always have time for me in conjunction with that, I'd be concerned."

Jaune swallowed a lump, not knowing where all of this was coming from. In his stupor, Nora had dressed fully in her pink robes and was now prepared to leave. She walked back over to him and placed a soft hand on his cheek. "Trust me when I say this Jaune. Your plate is full to the point of overflowing."

As her hand left Jaune's cheek, he immediately missed the warmth. She walked over to the window and sat down on the sill, giving the room a good look around. Finally finding his words again, Jaune tried to say something, anything really. "N-Nora I-"

"Boop." She said, cutting him off. When he didn't say any more, she smiled. "See you later, my Prince." Then she fell backward and let herself be carried by gravity out the open window.

 _What was that?_

/-/

"So, you have any idea what this meeting is about?"

Cinder – who was checking her level of flawless in a mirror – didn't even turn to acknowledge her subordinate's question. "If I needed you to know, then I would have told you, Mercury."

Mercury rolled his eyes when he sure Cinder wasn't watching – he was brazen, not stupid – and went back to working on a new type of dust round. A few minutes passed with only the sound of breathing to fill the silence and the occasional snap of a cosmetic product being opening. Finally, after what must have been ten minutes, his master was done with the preparations. Honestly, he'd known Cinder for over 9 years now and the amount of prep she went through to go out was insane. Often, the teen usually couldn't even spot where any change had been made.

"I do not know what the meeting is about, for I do not know what message Qrow is bringing. However, I do have an educated guess. It's one of the reasons little Emerald is being shipped here."

This caught his attention. Mercury lifted the goggles from his face and looked up from the experiment he was doing. "Must be pretty important then. Have anything to do with the Winchesters coming over?" Normally, Mercury wouldn't have been this interested in the affairs and plots of Cinder, instead simply following orders whenever they came. This time was different though, seeing that both directly affected how much time he'd be spending with others. Cinder smiled and snapped a finger, beckoning one of the maids to come and over with a scarf.

"What's wrong my little antisocial assistant? Afraid of spending any more time with the Winchester boy and girl?"

The former assassin grunted a bit and put the goggles back onto his eyes and began working again. "The only thing I'm afraid of is whether stupidity is contagious."

Cinder giggled a bit and began to head upstairs to the main level. "Sadly, it is. Bad association spoils useful habits after all. Also, I'll be leaving whether or not you get into a relationship with the Winchester girl under your discretion."

This caught the teens attention. "Really? Sounds a bit important to leave into my hands, don't you think?"

The Dust Advisor for the Kingdom simply shrugged, a gesture she only reserved for him, being that Mercury was the one person other than Emerald and Ashly that Cinder didn't have to constantly be professional around. "If you do not believe you have become close enough to the Cardin boy, then snuggle up to his sister Alouette. She seemed to like you well enough."

While feeling up a vial with ice Dust, Mercury groaned loudly, getting a nearly non-existent but still present smile from Cinder. The dinner party a few nights ago had been a great success. Alliances were made and a good time was had by all the guests. Cardin and Alouette had taken a shine to him quickly enough and seemed very impressed by his knowledge of Dust and various types of weapons. Mercury – acting in kind – smiled far more than usual and went under the pretense of actually having a grand old time. He went through nowhere near the level of acting lessons Emerald had been forced into but still was trained to some extent.

"Hmm, I find it a bit funny that you chastised me for bedding a few servant and noble girls from other guild halls, but now it is encouraged." Cinder frowned a bit and shook her head, as if more disappointed than angry.

"Dear, dear, Black. I was upset because you were dropping your pants in vain. I'd thought I'd have taught you to step out of your underwear for a purpose rather than pleasure," cooed Cinder, a glint of humor in her eye.

The crude language on top of the fact it was _Cinder_ of all people being humorous caused Mercury to howl with laughter, nearly knocking over the Dust experiment he'd been working on all morning. Cinder refrained from the hysterics but did allow her smile to grow wider. It was a rare moment of comfortability between the two. Catching his breath, Mercury spoke again. "I can't help but think you are asking this of me because it gets you out of seducing old man Winchester."

Cinder's good humor died at the thought. "I admit, it would have been…unpleasant. Not to mention unneeded."

Mercury nodded. The thought of Cinder riding the old fool nearly made him vomit. "Anyway, I must be going now. Do take care to be a good host in the event either of the Winchesters come by."

"Will do."

Seeing that there was no more to be said, Cinder walked up the basement stairs toward the top level. The sound of the upstairs door closing signified that he was now alone in the house, save for the two White Fang/servants walking around doing Dust knows what. It wasn't his concern anyway. With a grunt, he got back to work, still slightly miffed that he'd be sharing the house with another very soon.

/-/

Jaune fiddled with his robes while he waited for Qrow to arrive. It had been a good two hours since he arrived in the large meeting hall for formal announcements, rather than the dark and hidden conference room like usual. In this setting, every member of the Royal Advisors, Royal Court, and Royal Guard looked their very best. After all, it was in these formal settings that a few select countrymen were allowed to come in and witness history being made. Because most of the important – but admittedly boring – legislations were done behind closed doors, public announcements were meant to not only be exciting but also bolster confidence in the throne. They were also often staged, so the fact Jaune hadn't be given any scripts was a little worrying.

Now, seeing as it was Qrow delivering the news, that might dampen the whole bolster confidence thing because he was going to show up drunk or not at all. In fact, the Prince wouldn't be surprised if that was what was happening at this very moment. Knight Xiao-Long, who was currently waging a losing battle with fatigue, could attest to that. It probably didn't look good that everyone in the Royal Court seemed to have wandered off mentally, but then again, the noble and countrymen had actually fallen fully asleep in their pews, so no worries there.

"Hey, Velv," whispered Jaune to the bunny maid standing attentively behind him. She still had a slight blush dusting her features from the scene this morning, but Velvet seemed to have gotten over it for the most part.

"Yes, your H-"

"Velv…"

The maid sighed. "Yes, Jaune?" The teenager smiled at the informal address.

"So, did you get to see Coco today?"

Velvet subconsciously scratched her drooping ear. "Um, no, not today. I will after this meeting, however, to pick up our supply of coffee brew. Why?"

"Just wondering." His friend and servant nodded passively, although a spark of understanding twinkled in her eye.

"Is this about the…matter we discussed a few nights ago?"

Jaune nodded. This whole Ms. Fall and Winchester business had bothered him since he'd heard about it from Velvet. So much so that even during his electricity fueled excursion with Nora, it had stayed in the back of his mind. It wasn't like alliances didn't get made between the Royal Advisors because they clearly did and would continue. Just that Ms. Fall was such a wild card in it all. Despite being extremely amicable since arriving in Vale, the women hadn't gone out of her way to get close to anyone, in particular, spending most nights in her own Hall. It wasn't like this out of the ordinary for a woman as busy as herself. Cinder was quite literally the only Dust expert, bar her assistant. Yet each year she was consistently was able to come up with new, innovative methods to use the power source. Within three years, Vale has gone from number four to number two in Dust application among the Kingdoms, just under Atlas. She had proven herself important.

"Hmm." Jaune – as subtle as possible – looked over to where Cinder was sitting in-between Peach and Port. The raven-haired beauty was currently in the middle of a chat with the older women seated beside her. It was times like this that Jaune cursed the fact that he was in a slightly elevated position with Ozpin and Velvet, unable to hear the Royal Advisors or Court members below. Although…

"They aren't talking about anything particularly important, if you are wondering, Jaune." Whispered Velvet into the Prince's ear. Jaune smirked a bit, thanking his lucky stars for Velvet's Faunus enhanced hearing. Not to mention how convert she was about delivering the information. All Jaune needed to do is glance in someone's particular direction and his bunny retainer would listen in for him.

"Thanks, Velv."

Jaune turned to his right side, only to find Ozpin giving the wall a one-hundred-mile stare and passively sipping coffee, seemingly oblivious to everything happening. Whether that was actually the case, the teen doubted. "Hey, Ozpin."

"Hmm?"

"I'm a bit worried."

Ozpin stopped sipping his coffee. "Oh? And why is that?"

"I…I'm not sure. What if Atlas won't come to an agreement? Or worse, threatens war." Jaune looked to gauge Ozpin's reaction, but the man stayed impassive.

"I don't believe that will be a problem. I've known Lady Whitney Schnee and General James Ironwood a long time." He took another sip of his coffee, reminiscing for a moment. "They won't start a war over something as small as a simple dispute."

Jaune nodded but didn't say anything more. Even if he had, the conversation would have been cut short due to the man of the hour arriving. The Royal Guard standing at the entrance of the grand hall cringed a bit as he walked in, the smell of a brothel soaked in brandy clinging closely to the Knight's clothing and person. His graying hair was an absolute mess, sticking up at odd ends as if drawn by static electricity from all angles. Red eyes flashed with humor, along with a growing grin.

Qrow Branwen had arrived.

"Friends. Countrymen. Lend me your ears." Qrow threw out his arms, a bit of brown liquid spilled out of the flask in his hand. Tai groaned from his position beside Oobleck and rested his head in his hands.

"I bring good tidings from Atlas! Ironwood himself has given me his every word that conflict will not break out among our two great Kingdoms!"

Qrow paused and looked down. After an odd length of silence, someone in the gallery began clapping softly to fill it. This brought the Knight back. "But wait! Peace is not free, my dear countrymen! Alas, peace is not free! For they have asked for the very head our dear Prince!"

Everyone in the room gasped, Jaune loudest of all while grabbing at his neck.

After the initial gasps, silence reigned as individuals began running through their heads just what had been said, and just what it meant. Outrage from some, scheming from others, despair, acceptance… the emotional responses ran from one end of the spectrum to the other. This news was the stuff of history; Vale's own prince would either sacrifice himself for peace or save his own life at the cost of war and countless others lost.

"…In a manner of speaking," Qrow finally mumbled out, crashing the thought train of each and every person in attendance to a grinding halt as they began to realize that this was Qrow Branwen they had heard the information from, and therefore it meant there was a catch.

Running low on energy, the man took a swig of his alcohol before starting again. "Let an old crow tell you a story. A story of a blistering cold that bites worse than the winds coming from Lake Cocytus. They say that Lucifer comes, not as a devil of gruesome features, but as an alluring angel of light. A…Snow Angel if you will. Do be warned, my dear Prince, that you are about to experience the very worst-"

"Qrow." A voice cut through man's rambling, leaving naught but silence in its wake.

The Knight looked up to see a passive Ozpin staring down at him. He didn't look angry, the man never looked angry. Jaune occasionally doubted Ozpin had the facial muscles to pull off such an expression. However, the tone in his voice was far clearer. "Get on with it."

Knight Branwen sighed but conceded without protest. After another swig from Ol Flasky, Qrow turned to look Jaune straight in the eye. "Kid, you're getting married…to a witch."

The Prince, slightly off-put by such an informal address, nearly missed the more important part of that sentence. Jaune didn't react – or more wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to such a reality shattering piece of information. He didn't think for a second that Qrow might be joking or maybe the alcohol had warped his brain. This wasn't something that would be joked about, at least not in this setting when nearly every important person in the Valean Kingdom was present.

No one made a sound, instead focusing their gaze on him before uttering their opinions – which they no doubt were reserving with labored restraint. Jaune looked over the assembly, attempting to gain control of his thoughts and growing lump in his throat. He wanted to cry. To shout and fall to the ground kicking and screaming about the injustice of this decision made without his consent.

 _The way Qrow told me…it wasn't a question or Atlas giving a suggestion on how marriage could help us achieve peaceful relation. No, this is definitely set in stone already._ Jaune's eyes shifted to Ozpin, then down to Oobleck, Port, Peach, and Glynda who was a bit farther off near the main gates. How many of them knew about this beforehand? Ozpin was a given, but who else helped construct this little arrangement? It hardly mattered, though, Jaune would find out one way or another. What really mattered right now was putting on a good show of prosperity and power for his Kingdom.

" _Trust me, your plate is overflowing"_

Nora's words come to mind as Jaune stands up, now understanding what she really meant a few hours ago. How she was privy to such information…well, that could have only come from one person.

"Excellent news!"

Jaune's voice boomed out from his small frame, echoing off the high walls and filling the Hall. Qrow along with a few others seem a bit taken aback. Jaune allowed a small smile to form at being able to stun them into further silence.

"It feels me with great joy that Atlas has accepted our arrangement for peace. Finally, all the groundwork has been set for a mighty alliance to be formed with our two Kingdoms, bringing forth a new era of peace and technological achievement while still being able to keep our trade with Vacuo open! Rejoice, brothers and sisters of the Valean Kingdom! For lasting peace, can, nay, will be achieved within the coming months!"

Jaune felt a rush of energy as the Hall erupted into cheers and applause. Ironic that the future King could cause such a feeling within his men despite his stomach knotting and tears burning behind his eyes. Oh yes, this was the second worst he'd ever felt in his life only below the death of his father. Yet, he threw his hands up in victory for all those in attendance for the Kingdom's sake, causing a bold crescendo in the crowd's optimism and volume.

He didn't dare look at anyone from his Court or Advisors and threaten to let forth the waterworks and choked sobs that would no doubt attack and wage war against him later. Instead, he closed his eyes and listened to the blissful noise of the blissfully ignorant. It wasn't an insult. He'd been the same as them just a few moments ago.

As the noise slowly began to patter out, Jaune opened his eyes and made eye contact with the Knight who had delivered the news oh so tactfully. "Knight Branwen, do you have the time of arrival of my future Queen?"

"Eight weeks at the least," answered Qrow with a grin. "Twelve weeks at the most more than likely."

"Then we must begin preparation immediately for their arrival. Everyone in the entire Kingdom will be necessary to make this a truly memorable occasion, can I trust the countrymen and nobles alike for their full cooperation?"

The question was a rhetorical one. They would give their full cooperation no matter what, however, Ozpin always said that willing workers work better than forced ones, and workers who believed themselves to working towards a higher goal worked better than willing ones. Nevertheless, the crowd roared with enthusiasm all the same. Jaune barely heard it over the beat of his own heart.

 _I'm going to be married. I'm going to be married…_

Everything became a haze, his vision blurring into a mass of colors and shapes. Was he crying right now? Jaune couldn't tell one way or the other. Not like it mattered much anymore. Surely everyone present believed them to be tears of joy. The world swayed for a moment, however, he was stabilized by hand pressing onto his back.

"Jaune…keep it together," whispered Velvet from behind him. Her voice was so saturated in concern it brought him back to his senses enough to speak once again.

"Spread the news! Vale and Atlas will finally be at peace!"

The Prince wasn't exactly sure of much anymore, but he found himself being led away from the stage and into a hallway behind the podium. Now out of the public eye, Jaune reached up to his face and touched his eyes, realizing that he was indeed crying. His chest began heaving in and out, and his breathing gradually became ragged and hurried. The only thing tethering him to reality at the moment was Velvet's steady hand rubbing his back.

"V-Velvet…" He stopped speaking abruptly as bile nearly forced its way past his throat. "Tell me. Did the people see me like this?"

She leaned down and spoke softly into his ear, still rubbing his back soothingly. "No. They saw a strong leader fit to rule. Well done."

"Good. That's good."

/-/

"You think that was the best method Oz? I'm almost sure the kid knows that you and Goodwitch set it all up behind his back."

Ozpin shook his head but didn't entirely disagree with his loyal Knight. "Perhaps you are right Qrow. Maybe I should have informed him before the news was delivered, but what is done is done. Also, seeing how he dealt with it has greatly increased the respect among the Royal Advisors and Court, who could clearly see how well the Prince could perform under pressure."

The two were walking towards Jaune's room, where they assumed he had retired to after the announcement to the Kingdom about the wedding. As they made their way there, many Royal Guard would nod to them in respect. Well, it was really more for the Head Advisor than for the drunken Knight beside him. Generally speaking, the Royal Guard who defended the Kingdom were often seen as superior to the Knights, because they had to honor of being personal defenders to the King or Queen and the heirs. Of course, the warriors who worked outside of the borders saw themselves as incredibly more skilled because of the added risks and constant danger. In fact, many Knights were particularly fond of the term "candy ass" when referring to the Guard.

"Whatever you say, Oz." Qrow took another long sip of alcohol from the flask in his hand. "Gotta say though, the kid did well. Exceptionally so. Think it's time you let him in on…it?"

"No. Despite his emotional control having far more credence in my eyes, I do not desire to overwhelm him completely. Perhaps after the wedding." Ozpin refrained from saying more, fearing wandering ears. Turns out his discretion was an intelligent move, Velvet appearing down the corridor only a few moments later. With her hearing ability, the older man often wondered just what secrets she had overheard. At the moment, she was carrying a large basket of clothes and sheets, no doubt coming from Jaune's room.

"Hello, Ms. Scarlatina," greeted Ozpin. Qrow similarly nodded at the girl but didn't verbalize the acknowledgment. The look the two gray-haired men received was one of near hatred. It was such a shock coming from the small women that they were slightly taken aback, even Ozpin faltering. She wasn't even attempting to hide her disdain.

"Hello, thy Highness, Head Advisor Ozpin," responded the girl with a thinly veiled malice. Well, this was certainly a change of pace.

"I can see you are agitated Ms. Scarlatina. Any particular reason why you are openly hostile to one of your superiors?"

The threat didn't seem to daunt the bunny in the least. "If you must know, thy Highness, it is your complete disregard for Prince Arc's feelings that I'm upset about. You knew," her eyes blinked over to Qrow before staring down Ozpin again. "You both knew, Ms. Goodwitch included, and yet did nothing to prepare Prince Arc. I think it was very…cruel on your part."

The Head Advisor had figured as much. Velvet cared deeply for Jaune – a very good thing when it came to the personal servant of the Heir – so he wouldn't hold this against her. If anything, he should be glad. Qrow didn't exactly share the same sentiment. His face twisted into a sneer, promising violence towards the one it was directed to.

"Want to take that tone with Ozpin again little bun?" The risk of imminent injury phased the girl not, however, who instead matched the Knight's glare with one of her own.

"You must be drunker than usual if you think that punisher routine will work on me Branwen," deadpanned the woman, ears twitching slightly in defiance. "Now if there is nothing else to talk about, I must be off."

Velvet walked past the two men but stopped a few paces later. "Jaune is in the castle garden with his sisters. I'm sure you two were looking for him, so thought I'd save you the trouble. Who knows what decisions you may be forced to make if you couldn't find him to consult with?" Without missing a beat, she once again began walking in the opposite direction of Ozpin and Qrow. The latter was still in partial shock at the defiance of her. Velvet was many things, but she hardly ever voiced her opinion unless asked.

"Just give the word," muttered the Knight in a hushed tone. Ozpin snorted a bit – not a sound heard from him often – and began walking in the direction of the garden. His loyal warrior followed at his side, shoulders hunched more than usual. "She's a servant, Oz. You can't let that slide. Not when some of the Guard were watching."

Then Head Advisor clearly disagreed. "I'd like to believe that Ms. Scarlatina is more than just a servant, Qrow. Her fierce sense of injustice to the Prince's plight merely shows how much she cares for him. Something I refuse to fault her over, especially when I myself am still troubled over how Glynda and I went about it. Not to mention Ms. Scarlatina is far more than a retainer to Jaune."

The Knight didn't respond on the topic. Instead, he changed the subject. "Hey Ozpin, do you think I could get a few days off to visit my nieces? I…I haven't seen them in a while."

"Certainly, Qrow. You've earned a respite. Though I will ask you to make the trip a brief one. There is more information I must convey with Whitney Schnee before she and her escort arrive at the wedding. If there was anyone else I could send, then-"

"I know Oz. I know." The Knight chuckled a bit. "It's just my luck I would have the only travel based semblance in the fucking Kingdom. Well, the only one who has a current affiliation with the Crown anyway."

"Quite."

The unspoken knowledge was that, of course, there _had_ been someone with a travel ability far more convenient than Qrow's and much quicker as well. That was until they left Vale entirely one year after giving birth to a beautiful daughter. Up until that point, she'd been considered the most valuable Knight that the Vale Kingdom possessed. The secrets she carried with her were concerning still to this day, though, after 16 years it seemed she didn't mean to cause the Kingdom any harm. Still, it was among the many things that kept Ozpin awake at nights.

A fit of girlish giggling cut through the silence, a clear sign that they were nearly upon the gardens. Taking a turn at the next corridor, the two men were met with a large open doorway that seemed to lead to another world entirely.

"I think you should fire whoever oversees trimming the hedges," remarked Qrow offhandedly, peering deep into the "garden" that could be better classified as a jungle. The area was so large in fact that it contained separate biomes, made possible by Cinders handiwork with Dust. The lush green flora pulsed with vitality and grew wildly in all directions with the expectation of the stone path one would need to follow to not become lost in the untamed environment. Every nonpoisonous plant in Vale could be found here, along with flowers from each Kingdom. In later years, the garden had become famous among the other nations, so much so that it was customary for visiting ambassadors to take a tour of Vale's Royal Gardens. Some even claimed that habitat had healing properties, though that went unproven.

"Hmm, I think we'd need to hire someone to trim the hedges first," replied Ozpin, breathing in the fresh air with a smile. This was easily one of his favorite places to be in the Kingdom. As a joke, Jonathan Arc had once told the Head Advisor that he had just gotten a mystical flower from Mistral that flavored coffee with its nectar. More nights were spent in the garden looking for that damned flower than Ozpin would ever admit. The humiliation of the King finding him after two weeks of searching only to turn out it had all been made up would never be lived down.

The Head Advisor shook his head at the melancholy memory. _I wish you were here right now my friend._ Gripping his cane tighter, Ozpin went off the stone path and down a unnoticeable trail, save for someone actually looking for it. The sounds of laughter and talking grew louder until the two walked into a fairly large clearing. It looked like a small slice of the prairie within the gardens, complete with warm breezes and glowing sunlight. Eight heads of hair softer than silk glowed in the sunlight brilliantly, none of the Arc children taking note of Ozpin and Qrow, caught up in their own world.

"So, you're really getting married Jaune?" Ginger asked this nonchalantly, laying in the soft grass near her older brother, brownish-red hair splayed across the grass. Jaune's face fell a bit.

"Yes, it looks like it. Guess it will be very busy around here from now on, what with the planning of the wedding and long bureaucratic meetings that go on forever. Hey, maybe Lavender can take my place though? Not like anyone would be able to tell the difference," said Jaune, gaining a chuckle from the youngest sister Hazel, currently in the process of braiding the Prince's hair.

"Har, har." Lavender was lying in the grass beside her other sisters and was decidedly unamused at the comment. "Does that mean I look like a boy or do you look like a girl?"

Jaune smiled. "I'm pretty sure Nora answered that when she mistook you for me, walked up behind you and-"

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" The Heir chuckled at his oldest sister as she turned red and groaned. "For one, my hair was shorter then. Two, jeez Jaune, there are kids here."

Amber and Hazel pouted in unison. "No, we're not!" This only served to get a laugh out of the older ones. Jaune even laughed with them, though his joy stopped dead when his eyes landed on Ozpin and Qrow. His features curling into a grimace, the teen was clearly less than pleased to see them.

 _I'm sorry, Jaune._

The other siblings caught on to their brothers stare and followed it until their eyes too were locked with Ozpin's. None of them seemed particularly friendly. In fact, Lavender, Ginger, and Nightingale glowered at them as if the two had slapped their mother. In all honesty, it hurt Ozpin a little, seeing as these children had grown up calling him Uncle. Though, the four youngest still smiled and ran towards him, apparently unaware at the wrong he'd committed towards their brother. Nevertheless, their enthusiasm at his presence brought a smile to Ozpin's face.

"Hello, Hazel, Amber, Icterine, and Maize." Ozpin bent down and embraced all the girls in a large hug, pulling them close. He really did love these children like family. "I hope you've all been good."

All four nodded and muttered "of course" and "who do you take us for" in response. It was so adorable that even brooding Qrow's lips quirked into a smile. "It's good to see you all."

"Do we need to speak alone Ozpin?"

The older man looked up to see that Jaune had walked over to greet him as well, though the crestfallen expression was a far cry from his younger siblings. "No, I've simply come to tell you that there will be a meeting later tonight. Thought I'd apprise you myself. Also, I wanted to say that I'm very proud of how you handled the news today. It showed great maturity on your part to react the way you did."

Jaune sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I'm sure you had a reason for keeping me in the dark on this – a reason I'll be asking for later – but, I've got an important question for Knight Branwen."

Qrow seemed a bit surprised at the acknowledgment but prepared to answer any question the Prince would have. Jaune took after his father greatly and just like Jonathan, Qrow would give him the same level of respect.

"What do you wish to ask me, your Highness?"

"Well…" Jaune scratched his face a bit a flushed just the tiniest red. "Is she pretty?"

Ozpin smiled at this. Jaune asked this before even knowing the girl's name. _The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree._

 _/-/_

"I can't believe this. This Jaune Arc boy isn't even a King yet and I'm expected to marry him?" The irritation laced within the delicate voice bit like poison from a viper. No, the girl was not particularly excited to be married off to the heir of the Valean Kingdom, not at all.

Winter smiled and continued to brush her sister's snow-white hair. It was unnecessary – Weiss' hair didn't have a single knot in it – but the act helps calm the girl down and had a similar effect on Winter herself. "Now, now, little sister. I'm sure he's a very nice boy. Why, I met him a few years back, when mother and I took a trip to meet King Jonathan, now that I think about it. He was such a timid boy, nothing like his father at the time."

The teenager in Winter's arms didn't look impressed in the least. "Why can't I just become a Specialist like you and avoid all of this? I'd much rather be a warrior than some…bargaining chip! What was mother thinking listening to Father like that?!"

"Well snowflake, Mom's been under a lot of stress with this Vale business and you must admit this was the most efficient and long-lasting way to secure peace. Plus, I'm sure you'll be right at home in Vale in no time."

Weiss muttered something more under her breath but otherwise stayed silent. A large lurch from the ship afforded a groan from the two girls, who nearly fell off the bed they were laying on. This minor and unavoidable inconvenience flared up the girl's temper again.

"I bet this whole thing is just to get me out of the picture so Whitley can take the throne. He was always Mom's and Dad's favorite anyway. We – well I – was born to be bartering chip."

Winter sighed but didn't respond. What could she even say to any of this? Claiming it wasn't true would fly into the face of the current situation her little sister was in. Not only that, the claim against the Queen and King were somewhat founded. Winter knew how much the two wanted a boy and had a front row seat to the disappointment on her father's face when the doctors said that the second child of the Schnee throne was a female. Why Mother – who'd swore off alcohol during childbirth – attacked the bottle with frenzy, not even a day after Weiss was finally finished nursing. A healthy Heir was important after all.

Now, this wasn't to say Weiss wasn't sufficiently loved or taken care off. However, the look of disappointment was evident as day in both of them. So, when Whitely was conceived not even two years later, the celebration in the Kingdom of Atlas lasted for months. And Jacques…well, Winter didn't know he could smile that wide up until then. Hell, mother practically named the boy after herself.

"Trust me Weiss, mother and father love you very much."

 _Far more than myself._

What Winter left out was the fact that this pact was needed, more than anyone, even all of Atlas was allowed to know. Civil war wasn't particularly kind to a country. It often destroyed the very thing each side of power wanted to possess. Mantle and Atlas had been warring now for years. Officially, the war ended with a crushing victory in favor of Atlas. In reality, the commander of Mantles army was captured, though the fighting still did not cease. Little conflicts here and there. It had taken a toll on the finances and military. Hence the need for more powerful weapons, hence the need for more Dust, hence the need for an increasingly large amount of alliances to mine Dust in other Kingdoms. The fact that Atlas could maintain a powerful image of a conquering nation was quite literally a miracle.

"Everything will be alright. You'll see."

Weiss didn't look like she bought it. Honestly, Winter barely did herself.

* * *

 **A/N: And done. Hope this chapter was enjoyable. Congrats everyone who correctly guessed that the first major arc in this story would be the marriage of Jaune and Weiss. For those of you who think this means that this story is actually White Knight, well...you'll see. Anyway, I'll be impressed if anyone picked out all the foreshadowing in this chapter. Until next time.**


	4. An Improvised Seduction

Chapter 4: An Improvised Seduction

Beta: Shad0wReaper133

* * *

Emerald wouldn't miss being on a ship. She couldn't imagine why anyone would ever miss being on a ship or ever be in the profession of being a sailor. Sure, it paid very well – most likely because no one else wanted it – but you still didn't get to even use that money often or see/start your family. Honestly, no wonder they always drank. Anyway, she was glad this ordeal was over.

 _Sigh, where the heck is Cinder?_

At the moment, Emerald was sitting on top of a large crate, scanning the docks for anyone familiar. Despite it being mid-morning there was still a fairly thick layer of mist in the area and the sun had yet to peek through the gray cloud cover. The girl cringed a little when she realized that it had started to drizzle lightly. Weather like this made the sandstorms of Vacuo feel almost tolerable, the dry heat far better than wet, clingy humidity that made everything feel sticky.

 _Maybe I should go into one of the taverns to wait? Although it might make it harder for whoever Cinder sends to find me…_

The light drizzle turning into a downpour changed the girl's mind. With a loud groan she directed at nature itself, she grabbed her bag and headed to a nearby tavern where some of the of the passengers on her ship had gone, most likely seeking to lodge for later tonight or inquiring about directions. There were a few merchants around as well, though they had their own stalls to man and draw tourists in to swindle. If it wasn't for the dreary weather, this place would most likely be incredibly lively, and infinity more irritating.

As Emerald walked towards the tavern to find shelter from the rain, she felt one of her twin dragons being pulled out of its holster ever so slowly. She pretended not to notice and kept her breathing calm. It more than likely a street urchin – much like her past self – that saw an expensive looking item and went for it. However, they would learn a lesson in not being caught today. A lesson every thief learned sooner or later.

The Vacuo noble spun on the balls of her left foot with an unnatural level of balance and speed, bringing the right foot in for a devastating roundhouse to where the criminals head should be, while also drawing out of her dragons in the case of a counter. Her kick was blocked by a raised forearm, the thief clearly being far more adept than previously thought. It didn't matter. The man's eyes widened as she leveled one of her pistols between his eyes.

 _Don't steal from the master, bitc-_

…

 _Damn it._

"You want to put that thing down now?" Asked a cocky voice, the dark pupils dancing with mirth and stupid intelligence. She almost considered pulling the trigger and save both of them the trouble of living under one roof again… okay, she didn't hate the technician _that_ much.

"I'm still considering, thank you very much," remarked Emerald, though she lowered her weapon a moment later and put it back in its holster. The gray-haired boy's smile persisted. Even though she hadn't seen him in over five years, it would seem not much had changed in the way of his personality. Oh, joy.

"So, Mercury, I hope you brought an umbrella with those teeth you love to show off, or it will be a very miserable trip back to my new lodgings."

He didn't say anything in response, instead, doing a simple wave of the hand. Immediately a pink haired girl in a maid's uniform appeared next to Mercury with a large black umbrella. The rain above her ceased as well, courtesy of a blue haired butler appearing at her side with a raised black umbrella.

"Interesting. Is this the help?"

Mercury began walking and Emerald followed, eager to get to the new estate. "Yep. Not as many servants as back in Vacuo I'm sure, but you'll manage. This is Felicia and the one beside you is Flora. If you need anything back in the estate ask them. And before you ask, yes, they know."

Emerald nodded to both the servants, they nodded back and broke eye contact. "Okay then." The next few minutes was punctuated by the soft patter of rain and the sounds of peasants going about their everyday life. She could literally feel the stares on her and Mercury, the two sticking out like sore thumbs.

"So… why did you try to steal from me just now?"

Mercury grunted a bit and scratched his wet hair. "Just wanted to see if you kept up your training while Ashely taught you the science of swinging your hips. Glad to see the answer was yes… How is Ashely actually?"

Emerald almost rolled her eyes at the topic change. Mercury had always been fond of Ashely – Emerald's mother for all intents and purposes – in a rather romantic way. Now, it was something that only the two of them were ever aware of, despite them arguing most of the time Emerald and Mercury often found a confident in one another. Even his last words to her before he left with Watts had been something other than another horrible joke.

"Ashley is fine, Mercury. Though she was a little saddened about having to leave Dad- I mean Richard."

Mercury nodded. "That's good. Bet the old man is sad too, letting a woman like that go," he said, more to himself than Emerald – who now had to eliminate the mental image of her adoptive parents having sex out of her head.

"Let's change this subject. What have you been up too for the past two years with Cinder, since you clearly know what I have been doing."

"Well… I've mostly been doing Cinder's dirty work as a Dust specialist and a mechanics technician. Honestly, she's usually out most of the time or writing letters. I guess she'll occasionally help me out with some of the research if I just can't figure something out by myself. I've only recently have been getting acquainted with some of the other noble families in the area, though it still feels weird that I'm even included with the 'nobles.'"

Emerald looked down, her eyes stopping to look at Mercury's legs. It seemed the limp was all but gone, though, she couldn't help but wonder if he was still pained at times. Dr. Watts had said the treatment was complete, but something might have come up again.

 _I wonder if he can fight again. Maybe that was the real reason he challenged me._

"Hey, my eyes are up here you know."

The green haired ex-thief jerked her head back up and looked to the side, attempting to play off being noticed. "Oh uhhh… nice pants?"

Through the pitter patter of rain drops hitting the umbrella, she could hear him laughing loudly. After five seconds of continuous hysterics from him, her embarrassment soon turned into anger. "Well excuse me for caring!"

Mercury attempted to muffle his snickering by covering his mouth, but his efforts were wasted. Emerald looked away and nearly pouted until she realized how pathetic that would look. "Aw, don't be angry Em, I think it's cute you care about little old me."

"Well, you don't have to worry about it happening ever again."

Of course, she wouldn't admit it, but Emerald was actually relieved to see Mercury could still get under her skin. It was… normal and the fact some things didn't change was rather refreshing. Nevertheless, that didn't change the fact that he was an annoying prick seventy percent of the time. Mercury was about the closest thing she'd ever had to a sibling, so maybe it was just natural they would grate on each other's nerves.

"Anyway," began Emerald, changing the subject. "We've been walking for a while. Where is the famous Beacon tower?"

"Well usually you'd be able to see it even from the docks, but the fog is obscuring a lot of this Kingdom's usual splendor. Also, we still have a bit of a ways to go. Don't tell me you're tired?"

Emerald rolled her eyes and lifted her green scarf a bit higher so it was covering her mouth. Honestly, how did anyone put up with weather like this? If it wasn't for Flora beside her, it would be unbearable. Looking around again, she studied the faces she saw and noticed that most were cheerful, despite the gloom and… were they all holding cups of coffee?

"No, I'm not tired. I had more than enough physical training along with my… _other_ training to keep up my stamina. Not to mention I had quite the workout on the ship ride over here, thank you very much."

Mercury hummed. The gray-haired boy then leaned in and whispered something to the pink haired maid beside him, getting a giggle from the girl.

 _Ugh. I swear if he's sleeping with her and they wake me up at night… wait, Cinder wouldn't allow that. Shit, I hope not._

"Something funny, Mercury?"

He looked back her with a mirthful fire still alight in his eyes and an ineradicable grin. "Nothing. Just that I'm sure fighting ability wasn't what Ashley had in mind when training your stamina."

Just like that, the fiery furnace of ire was back, with Mercury happily dumping coals into it like a mad incendiary. It hadn't taken him long to realize that Emerald was rather irritated at her role in Vale. That her worth consisted of purely of seduction could rile even the most acquiescent person.

"But what's this about training on the ship I hear?"

 _Well, it seems he became somewhat of a better listener._

Emerald calmed down considerably as she began to retell what happened. Maybe that was Mercury's plan or maybe he genuinely cared, who knows. What Emerald did know was that for the first time in ages, her gray-haired acquaintance was stunned. Sadly, he was not stunned into silence.

"You fought alongside Qrow Branwen and even saved his life? Holy Dust…" Mercury ran a hand through his hair and looked at the sky as if the heavens were about to open up and bestow knowledge.

"Uh, Merc, it isn't really that big of a deal."

Mercury gaze snapped back to her. "Not that big a deal? You clearly have no idea how important Qrow is then. Doesn't matter I guess, you'll come to understand eventually. Although, don't be surprised if Cinder kisses you when she finds out and then jumps over the shattered moon."

Emerald's cheeks began to heat up at the thought. The idea of Cinder kissing anyone for a reason other than to seduce and/or control them verged on comical. "I'm sure you're exaggerating. Plus, it isn't like I earned his trust or anything."

"Trust? Well, Qrow doesn't trust anyone, so that is not surprising. I doubt the dude even trusts himself."

 _Hmm, I did get a really negative vibe from him. I thought it was just anger or exhaustion, but maybe not. Could have been self-hatred._

"You know," Mercury muttered in a low monotone voice, picking at his gray trench coat, "I'm surprised you haven't asked about Prince Arc yet. All jokes aside, he really is the only reason you're here right now."

"Gee, I don't know Mercury, maybe I want to forget that fact for as long as possible. That would be needless anyhow, considering I'm going to get a full dossier on him once we get back to the house. Also, should we be talking about this outside?"

Mercury opened his mouth and then promptly closed it. "Uh, yeah, that's actually a good point. I mean, sure, it looks like no one is paying us any mind, but Vale is good about where it places its spies. Particularly ones that follow political targets."

"Heh, you've gotten rusty Mercury. What would Watts say?"

"Psh, fuck what he would say."

Emerald placed a hand on her chin in thought. "No, I don't think he would say that. A little too crude for a man of such season."

"Fine," said Mercury with a grin. "Violently copulate Dr. Watts' conjecture, then."

Emerald mocked a gasp. "Conjecture, Mr. Black? Dr. Watts only speaks in absolute verities. Anything beneath this would be inconsequential and a waste of breath."

A silence lingered between the two before they both burst into laughter, neither being able to control themselves. Mercury was actually forced to lean on Felicia he least he falls over, much to the maid's embarrassment. Emerald, seeing the poor maid blush at the contact, began to laugh even harder. It was awhile until they calmed down, both with hurting sides and shortness of breath.

Mercury wiped a tear from his eye, still recovering from the best laugh he'd had in weeks. "So, how is Dear Doctor Watts anyway?"

"He's alright, I think. Based on his letters you'd assume he'd taken over Mistral with how many times the word 'success' gets thrown around."

"Really now? He is doing better than us in Vale?"

Emerald pointed to her ear as if to say, 'someone might be listening.' Mercury nodded and dropped the subject for later. Preferably when they weren't out in the streets. The two were silent for the next couple of minutes, focused on the winding streets of inner Vale Kingdom. Even not being able to see most of it because of the fog that still persisted, she could understand how this was the most populous of all the Kingdoms.

"So, where are all the farmlands I've heard about? I've only seen city thus far."

"Hmm? All the farm lands are on the other side of the Kingdom near Mt. Glenn."

"That explains it." Emerald noticed that the walkways were gradually getting steeper and steeper. In fact, a lot of the housing and structures fell away. "Hey, we're getting close to Beacon Castle, aren't we?"

"Yep. As I'm sure you already know, the caste system of Vale can literally be seen in its topography. Peasants at the bottom. The upper nobles on the first level of the plateau, and the Major Guild Halls along with Beacon Castle on the second level. It's one of the reasons why Beacon has never fallen. Also, we're about to get to the first lift. You'll get checked and more than likely asked to explain your weapons, but I know these guys so it's cool."

 _What's a lift?_

Well, looked like she wouldn't have a choice but to follow Mercury's lead. They finally got to what looked like a wall of rock jutting out of the ground and rising high into the air. It was impossible to tell how tall it went due to low hanging cloud cover. What also came into view was a large metal platform – easily big enough for 30 people – outfitted with a high railing. On both sides of the platform was large metallic cylinders with chains that stretched on along the wall of rock until they two disappeared into the mist. It was amazing in its own way and even more so because Emerald could guess what the purpose of this "lift" was.

Not until they had nearly happened upon the lift that the thief noticed the five armed men dressed in gray cloaks standing on the platform. Each one with a rifle in hand and a sheathed saber. By the way they held their guns, it would seem her and Mercury had been spotted.

"Mercury, is that you lad?" One of the men called out through the rain and mist.

Mercury got a large smile on his face. One that didn't even seem forced. "The very same!"

The rifles went down immediately and the men relaxed. Then Mercury, Emerald, and the two servants walked the rest of the way to the platform. The men moved to give them space, bright grins splitting their face. They weren't Knights, or at least she didn't think so, more than likely military men. Each one had a scruffy beard or stubble, thick wool peacoats, black boots, and gray slouch hats.

"So, this is the young lady you told us about Mercury?"

The gray-haired boy nodded. "Sure is. She's Ms. Fall's niece, so be nice to her you hear," commanded Mercury good-naturedly. The military men chuckled and promised to do so. They also said hello to the servants – Felicia apparently being very popular with them.

"So, I take it this is your first time on a lift then?"

Emerald looked at the militant. "Um, yes. This would be my first time."

"Well, get ready to be amazed. Your Aunt and friend over there built this thing after all." The friendly man then walked over to one of the large cylinders and pulled a lever. The whirl of mechanics could be heard from within the two metal cylinders. There was no clanging or mechanical banging. Only a smooth whirl that almost sounded like a low whistle. She was so focused on the sound, Emerald didn't notice that the platform had lifted from the ground and had begun steadily rising upward. It was only until she looked over the side and couldn't see the ground that she gasped and stepped back.

"Hehehe. Yep, I had the exact same reaction the first time. We used to have to pull this platform up with manual cranking and a system of chains and pulleys. Now it's just a matter of flicking a switch and letting gravity Dust do all the work."

 _Amazing. I'm sure they're dumbing it down a bit though._

"What about those chains?" Emerald pointed to the thick links of metal that were slowly retracting into the cylinders.

"Well," began Mercury. "They are there is if the Dust mechanics fail and the platform falls, the chains will lock in place and prevent it. Then the platform can be safely pulled up with the old crank system. Thankfully, that failsafe hasn't been needed yet."

The militant men all nodded, giving Mercury a pat on the back like he was one of them. "Yep, it used to take a team of men to run these things and the work was tiring as Hell. So, me and the boys back at the barracks are real grateful to ol' "Mechanical" Merc here."

 _Huh, they even have a nickname for him._

"So, what's a little lady like you doing sporting weapons like that."

The tone was still lighthearted, but could easily change. Emerald straightened up a bit and looked at the man who had addressed her. "Well, I come from Vacuo, where getting caught without a weapon could mean death. Especially if your family has political power."

That answer seemed to suffice for the military man. Though he still asked to check her bags. Protocol and what not. After only finding clothes, ammo, and a few personal items he gave it back. A couple of seconds later, they had reached the top of the first level and the platform stopped its upward movement. Emerald, Mercury, Felecia, and Flora walked off the platform and waved goodbye to the five soldiers.

"Hey Merc! When are you going to be finished with that training room for us?"

Mercury smiled and shouted back, "All in due time!"

As they kept walking farther, Emerald noticed that the streets were made of polished stone instead of the cobble streets a level below. Not to mention that instead of closely packed housing, there was acre upon acre of land for each individual estate. Also, it would seem the mist had only settled on the lowest layer because none was to be found up here. Though the rain persisted.

"Um, I'm not against walking but I see stables up here. Isn't there a way for us to rent a horse or something?"

Mercury stopped walking. "Nope," he exclaimed, popping the 'p.'

"Also, I forgot to arrange a carriage service before this so, yeah. Woops."

 _Sigh._

 _/-/_

Jaune hadn't been feeling very great for the past few days. If it was sickness, then he'd have alerted the doctors already and asked for treatment. However, this clearly wasn't something that medicine could cure. Maybe it was the fact he'd been in nonstop meetings for four days with no sign of slowing down. Maybe it was the fact that he'd only gotten six hours of sleep in four days. Maybe he didn't want to get married no matter how hot Qrow said she was. Anyway, someone was talking.

"…and so, that is why I believe that the Traveling Merchant Guild Hall should be in charge of the festivities for the lower and upper regions."

 _Damn, I missed so much of that. What are we talking about again?_

"Thank you, Junior," spoke Peach from her position below where Jaune was elevated. That was another reason why Jaune wasn't feeling great. Because the Advisors had to consult with other Guild families now, all meetings were held in the official Meeting Hall instead of the small, dark conference room deeper into the castle. Strangely, Jaune felt more claustrophobic in this expansive Hall - where facades and hidden intentions abounded for the sake of public confidence - than in the conference room where Advisors could be somewhat honest. "We'll be sure to get back with you."

 _Well, at least that's over._

"Head Public Relations Advisor Peach, I must protest! Time is of the essence is it not? There is no one else among the Guilds suited for this task!" Junior was a large and gruff man who didn't take kindly to being what he perceived to be ignored. He wore the color of his guild – A charcoal black robe with red trim. The rather unimpressive colors contrasted with his bold ego. Of course, this impressed no one, least of all Aunt Peach. The woman actually smiled.

"I see. You know what Junior, I do see your point. Time is of the essence. In fact, I believe that this decision is already made."

Junior smiled triumphantly. He even surveyed the gathered assembly as if looking for a high five. "Well, I'm glad to see my words could-"

That smile disappeared as soon as Peach opened her mouth again. "So, I hereby nominate Roman Torchwick of the Clockwork Guild to overlook the festivities for Vale. Are all in agreement in this matter?"

None of the Advisors said a word of protest. Hell, Cinder actually looked like she might laugh at the look of disturbance and indignation overcoming Juniors features.

"T-t-the brothel owner and underground dealer!? I-I-I never been so insulted in my entire life! You would choose some glorified thug over my distinguished family just to prove a point!?" When no one said anything, the brew master turned to Jaune as a final effort. "Your Majesty. Surely you don't agree with this?"

 _Oh come on man, don't drag me into this._

"Well," The Prince said, sitting up in his chair, "I think that Torchwick would be a fine choice. He knows the lower levels far better than yourself and has a reputation for getting things done under budget." How he got things done under budget was not mentioned. "The Adel family will be part of this committee and they have been known to work with the Clockwork Guild on occasion already. Plus, if we're being forthright on this matter, saying Roman is a brothel owner is calling the kettle black, no?"

Jaune Arc had seen a lot of things in his life, but beholding a grown man turn purple in the face was a first. The sounds of chuckling coming from the Advisors and honored guests seemed to further Junior's embarrassment until Jaune believed he may explode. The Royal Guard stood at the ready to restrain him in case he tried something foolish.

Attacking an Advisor and especially a member of the Royal Family would result in a death sentence unless the King pardoned him, and Jaune wasn't in the pardoning mood at the moment. Thankfully Junior was able to reclaim his better senses and storm out of the Hall like a civilized man.

"Well that could have gone better I guess," quipped Velvet from behind the Prince, though she clearly had no sympathy for Junior. Jaune smiled and turned to look at his friend, thankful that had been the final order of business for a while. "Hey Velv, you want to deliver the news to Coco that she'll be working with Roman? I know you'd like to see her again."

The bunny beamed at the suggestion and nodded. Seeing her happy was enough to brighten Jaune's day a little and almost make him forget that he was on 32 hours of uninterrupted consciousness. _Wait a minute, Coco might have some really strong coffee blend or something I could drink. Stronger than the special blend she makes for the Kingdom._

"Hey, I should come too!"

Velvet's smile faltered for half of a nanosecond before she beamed once again. "That would be fine. In fact, it would be great for her to see you again. Maybe you might even get to see Yatsuhashi or Fox if we're lucky."

"I remember watching those two get Knighted."

Jaune and Velvet turned to look at Ozpin, who had been sipping coffee until now. The Head Advisor turned to look at the two young adults. "I've heard good things about them from Qrow and Port. I wasn't aware they had formed a bond with Ms. Adel."

"Oh yeah, Fox and Coco have known each other forever. Even longer than I've known her. And Yatsuhashi came along once Fox began training to become a Knight and they were partnered. He's my big teddy bear…"

Velvet became lost in thought for a couple of moments before remembering who she was talking to. A small blush crept up her face at the look Ozpin was giving her. "Quite. Well, you two enjoy yourselves. Do remember we convene in two hours."

Jaune nodded and stood sluggishly, stretching with a loud yawn. "Okay, better get a move on then. I'd rather not take the Royal Carriage there. I could stand to benefit from the exercise."

The two left out the back way from the Hall. Of course, they were followed by three Royal Guard members, but Jaune didn't pay it much mind. They were a constant presence in his life and would always be such. It became more noticeable when Jaune left the castle grounds, however, then he'd be trailed by no less than eight guard members at a time or more considering where he went. They were nice guys and he'd probably chat with them if given the opportunity, but the Guard would rather he didn't. Apparently, they were constantly scanning the area with aura and it required focus. Even when Nora had been one of the Guard guarding him, she'd been uncharacteristically silent, her duty to him being of the utmost importance.

"I haven't been out the castle grounds in a while. I'm actually getting pretty excited now." Jaune said to Velvet through another yawn, this one nearly giving him a cramp in his jaw. She looked at him with concern.

"Um, Jaune. Maybe you should go get some rest. Now that I think about it, you haven't slept in over a day! You can't be going on a leisurely stroll with me, you need your sleep Prince Arc!"

The teenager sighed as Velvet began to fuss over him like one of his sisters. Well, it was technically within Velvet's job description to look out for him – she did it more than anyone – but still. It was so adorable to see the bunny like this Jaune believed he might die from the intense cuteness concentration. Even the stoic Guards were making goofy smiles and chuckling at his servant. Jaune reached out and placed a hand on her head, rubbing the spot between Velvet's ears.

" _Nnaa~"_

She immediately melted into his touch and even leaned into his palm to increase the friction. It was when he started to move lower and gently ruby where her large floppy ears met her scalp – the spot he knew to drive her crazy – that she pulled away, completely flushed.

"Cheater… Fine, come along then but I'll make sure you get a good night's sleep today even if I have to knock you out."

"Sure thing. Though I still believe some fresh non-castle air will do me good."

 _Hmm, a servant shouldn't talk to Royalty like this. They should be in complete subjection to their master… thank goodness, I have a friend instead._

"So, tell me more about these friends of yours. You don't mention Fox or Yatsuashi as often as Coco."

Velvet shrugged. "I don't see them as often as I do Coco. They're usually patrolling the Farmlands to keep Grimm under control in that area or serving as dispute settlers. Me and Coco will often read the letters they send together."

"I might have to change their assignment so that they can be a bit closer then…"

" _Jaune,"_ the girl practically hissed. "You shouldn't show them special favor just to make me happy."

"Why not?" Asked Jaune, genuinely surprised at Velvet. "What's the point of having all this power if I can't help the people I care for. If moving their assignment closer to the castle would mean you get to see them more often, then, why shouldn't I?"

"For one, they were chosen by Port for the task he believed them to be best suited for. Not only that, they love it in the Farmlands and enjoy their task. Lastly, you should put the Kingdom over the preference of those closest. I don't envy your position, but it is a burden you must carry… with help of course."

The Prince nodded and kept walking. The rebuking had been justified, so it wasn't like he could get angry or anything. Well, he _could_ get angry but he wouldn't. Not at Velvet. "So, how's your mother? It has been awhile since I've seen her around since she gave birth to your brother."

It was an odd thing, not seeing Mrs. Scarlatina around the castle. She'd been the personal servant to Jaune's father, so she'd been fairly present in the boy's childhood.

"Mom? She's been okay I guess. My little brother is apparently quite the handful though."

 _Apparently? Oh yeah, Velvet doesn't get to see her family that often, since she does have a room near mine in case I need her. Maybe I should…_

"And before you start getting any ideas, no, I don't need any extra leave. Especially not now with the wedding coming up."

"…I wasn't going to say that."

Velvet giggled. "Yes, you were, your Highness." She then pointed to her ears. "Remember, I can hear your thoughts."

 _Dang, forgot about the bunny ears._

"Oh yeah, I forgot… wait, what?!"

/-/

Cinder really wanted to get home. No, she really _needed_ to get home. When a servant had passed on the information that Emerald had finally arrived in Vale, the master manipulator was ecstatic. She could finally continue with her plans. However, that same servant also informed her that there was a mandatory meeting of the Advisors in the Meeting Hall. So, she sent Mercury to fetch her niece. It would be good for those two to catch up anyway.

 _Now if only Port would shut up._

"…Yes, and that is why I always keep a foghorn under my trousers."

Cinder was more tempted than she'd ever admit to look down and check that statement. It was so crazy – along with the story that went with it – that her curiosity begged the women to give a quick look down. It would be fast. _No. If I do, Port wins._

"Well, that was a very interesting story, Peter. Far more compelling than I would have guessed… regardless, I really must be going. My niece actually just arrived in Vale and I would love to see her with the little time I have before the next conference."

The mustached gentlemen smiled and patted her on the back roughly. "Well, why didn't you say so! If nothing else, I understand the importance of family. Why that reminds me of the time I stole a Nuckelavee's horse just to make it back in time for dinner!"

 _Wait, but aren't the rider and horse attached… no, just don't think about it._

Cinder was almost positive that other than Ozpin, Peter would be the hardest man on the face of the Earth to seduce. He had an experience for literally every single potential conversation starter or sentence for that matter. Dear lord, by the time a conversation with Port ended, one rarely remembered the reason for seeking him out in the first place. Often, Cinder would give up on the sexy/smug persona and just weather out his stories. She didn't even get annoyed anymore when he was more than generous with the physical contact without realizing it.

"Well, I'll have to hear about that at another time I suppose," replied Cinder, refusing to get pulled back in. It was also around this time that the woman's curiosity forced her to do a lightning swift peek at his pants. When Port wasn't looking of course.

 _Dear Lord, either that's a foghorn or the longest-_

When she looked up, Peter was giving her a wide smile, one rivaling her own smugness. _Damn. I've been caught!_

"Well, I suppose you better get a move on Ms. Fall, now that you've satisfied your curiosity." The large man then wiggled his eyebrows and began walking away. Cinder felt the anger within reach it's boiling point.

"You've won this one Port, I'll give you that, but this war is just beginning…" muttered Cinder with clenched fist, looking at the back of her most powerful foe yet. _Sigh, it's going to be cathartic to talk with Emerald after dealing with people like this._

"Hello, Ms. Fall!"

 _Oh, come the fuck on._

Cinder turned around, not having the energy to fake a smile. It hardly mattered, since this Advisor far superseded others in terms of scrutinizing expressions. "Hello, Iris. Do you need anything?"

The older women laughed at Cinder's bluntness and placed a hand on her chest in false offense. "Oh Cinder, where is the sultry voice I've come to love about you? Or am I not important enough to try and debauch?"

This actually got a small smile from the Dust expert. "I don't sign on to fruitless endeavors, Iris. I'd expect you to have perceived this about my character."

"Indeed. It's quite disconcerting that evaded my memory." The older woman said this while rolling her eyes. "But in all honesty, you seem rather tired sweetie. Anything on your mind?" Peach's maternal tenderness was comforting, enough to disarm the already fatigued Fall. A reality that would scare her later.

Cinder waved a hand in dismissal. "No, no, it's just my niece has arrived in Vale and I crave to see her. Sadly, I don't think I'll have much time to spend with her with the wedding planning and what not. Also, I haven't slept in two days…"

Peach smiled and pulled the younger women into a warm hug that Cinder would never admit aloud she enjoyed. Iris reminded Cinder somewhat of Salem, of home. "Oh honey, none of us have slept in two days." She released Cinder but still held her close. "Go see your niece, Cinder. I'll try to cover for you the best I can if you don't get back by the time the conference starts."

Cinder smiled gratefully. "Merci beaucoup, Iris."

Peach - mirroring the Fall's early gesture - waved it off as no trouble what so ever. "Just hurry up and go. In return for this favor, all I solicit is a chance to meet this niece of yours one of these days."

"Of course. Well, I must be off." Cinder briskly began to walk away, making her way out the Meeting Hall and through the various hallways leading to the front exit. Honestly, she felt sorry for any would-be assassin with aspirations of regicide because it would only take one misstep to get completely lost and die of starvation in one of the seemingly abandoned antechambers.

When she made it outside into the courtyard, there were a few noblemen milling about, more than likely trying to come up with a strategy to be picked by the Advisors and Prince to be head of a position in planning the wedding. It was an opportunity to become very wealthy after all. This incentive was so great that a few of the nobles upon seeing Cinder made their way towards her with the aspirations of gaining her as an ally. Having no patience for fools at the moment, she briskly speed walked away from them in the hopes of an avoiding the hassle of conversation.

"Lady Fall! Lady Fall!"

 _Okay, I'll just pretend I don't hear them._

"Lady Fall! Lady Fall!" The three affluent men were in hot pursuit. However, it was improper to run in the castle grounds and one must keep up appearances, so the noblemen speed walked as well. Cinder let out a sigh, as it seemed she would have to converse, after all, this chase becoming completely asinine.

 _I could just incinerate them. There is enough Dust woven into my clothing to get the job done._

Before that musing could be entertained any longer, a man dressed at the very height of fashion walked out from behind a bush in front of the Dust Advisor. "Lady Fall! And here I thought you were going to stand me up."

"I- what?"

The elegantly dressed red haired man winked at Cinder. "I'm referring to the promise you made me that we would have lunch, yes?"

Understanding that she was being saved from the cold, unforgiving grip of Kingdom politics, Cinder went along, speaking loud enough for her pursuers to hear. "Ah, yes. My apologies for keeping you waiting. Shall we go?"

He smiled and nodded. As they walked away, the man leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "After we get out of the courtyard we should be fine. Honestly, I've never seen the local stiff wigs act so brazen. Pathetic really."

Cinder allowed a minuscule smirk. "I suppose you'll be wanting a favor now. Goodness knows you didn't help out for the sake of being a good neighbor."

The gangster gentleman Roman Torchwick scoffed. "You wound me with your unjust assertion. However, I wouldn't be opposed to you owing me one…"

"Not a chance Torchwick. Actually, I'm certain you still are in my debt for the help in making that little toy of yours." Cinder lifted a finger and pointed it at his cane Melodic Crude. It was a unique weapon, one that Roman had personally commissioned. Of course, Mercury was the one to actually put it together.

"Hey, hey. I paid the fee you set. The way I see it we're even. The state I prefer all my relationships stay."

In all honesty, Cinder liked Roman. Unlike most of the inhabitants of the first level, he hadn't inherited his wealth. Instead, starting at the bottom and building his fortune. His cunning far outmatched his contemporaries and unlike most noblemen – excluding those who became Knights – he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He was also one of the first people she befriended after arriving in Vale, knowing the man may become a powerful ally one day. That being said, Roman was near universally hated for not having "a superior bloodline."

"So, what brought you to the King's Courtyard today Torchwick. I know for a fact it was not to clamor for allies like the other morons. And feminine intuition says it wasn't simply to search me out."

Roman simpered. "I must keep a few secrets for myself, madam. After all, you have quite the following."

Roman was referring to the Royal Guard patrolling the area. All Advisors were followed and protected to some extent. Each member considered too important to simply be left without supervision. That even included Glynda Goodwitch herself, despite her never admitting she necessitated protection.

"Yes, that does put quite the damper on more… clandestine matters. I take it you already know who was chosen to be in charge of the festivities in the lower and upper levels."

Roman didn't look her way. "If you're bringing it up it must have been my Guild. How marvelous."

"You didn't want the position?" Cinder asked, hearing the tone of his voice. She knew that couldn't be the case, however, asking the wrong question could more often than not lead to the desired answer.

"No, it isn't that."

Roman said nothing more and neither did Cinder. They walked the rest of the way to Cinder's estate in silence, stopping just outside the large gated building. "I would invite you in for a drink but I'm rather busy at the moment," spoke the Fall as a formality.

The Guildmaster of Clockwork smiled and leaned on his cane. "As am I. Things to do, people to see."

"That always does seem to be the case with people of our sort, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it's quite the chronic condition." Roman sighed before giving a respectful bow, she was a Royal Advisor after all, and then walked away. Cinder gave out a relieved sigh as well at the fact of finally being home. She unlocked the gate and walked into her courtyard.

"Nice to see you back, Lady Fall."

Cinder suppressed a gasp and looked over to see Felicia tending to some of the flowering bushes that lined the building. "Thank you." She recovered from her mini shock – realizing that lack of sleep must really be affecting her – and walked through the front door. The ground level floor was empty as usual, Mercury practically lived in the basement and when he did sleep, did it upstairs. He wasn't who she was looking for at the moment.

"Emerald? Emerald?"

It was possible that she was upstairs asleep or downstairs with Mercury, but that didn't seem right. Emerald was always fond of Cinder – it was quite obvious – so the girl should be coming to greet her. A loud crash was heard in the basement followed by cursing and the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Somethings never change. Ever.

"Yo, Flora, keep it-"

Mercury's voice caught in her throat when he saw Cinder standing at the threshold. The teen had black soot coating his face and hair, a large tool of some sort in hand. "Oh. Wasn't expecting you back this early."

Cinder raised an eyebrow. "I do hope my appearance in my own home is not a hindrance to you."

"Uh, no, not at all. In fact, I was just working on the kinks in our gravity Dust theorem and I could use-"

"Where is Emerald?"

Mercury stopped talking and looked around the room as if the answer to the question was on the walls. "Well, she was here."

"Was?"

"Well." Mercury rubbed his hair, a mannerism that had developed as of late. "I told her that you wouldn't be back until a few hours if at all today, so she went on a walk to 'replace my sea legs' as she put it. She'll be back any minute now... maybe." The last word was uttered softly and didn't do wonders for aspiring hope in his statement.

Cinder could feel the frustration in her head turning into a tumor. "You know what… fine. That's fine. I'm fine."

Mercury had a fearful look as if staring at a ticking bomb. However, in this case, there was little to fear. Cinder – having waited to start this stage of the plan for five years – could wait another day or two. The only thing that would come from becoming red with anger now was a temper tantrum. And gray hair.

"I'm going to take a nap now."

"Okay… So you're not angry?"

"No. Things happen. You're a good boy, Mercury."

"…"

"…"

Cinder heels clicked along the hardwood as she walked up the stairs towards the bedrooms, eager to rest her eyes and mind. Mercury, half dazed, walked back downstairs.

/-/

Whenever the door opened at Coffee Threads, Coco always secretly hoped that it was one of her friends. Preferably Velvet, but seeing Fox or Yatsu would be a more than welcome surprise. Worst case scenario it was some idiot wanting to try and marry into the Adel family. It was easily the second most profitable family in Vale, not to mention she was the sole heir and happened to be a single female of perfect childbearing age. Something apparently no one was willing to forget.

Thank goodness when the door jiggled open for the first time today, it was Velvet's smiling face she saw first. "Bun Bun! It's great to see you."

The bunny servant of the Prince didn't even have a chance to speak before Coco had enveloped her in a crushing hug. "Hey, you've been showing up here more often lately." The brown-haired fashion prodigy leaned in close and whispered directly into her friend's ear. "Are you sure you're not neglecting your duties to our resident Royal?"

"I assure you she is quite competent at her job."

Coco stood rigidly at the sound of the youthful voice. Slowly, she looked past Velvet's head and nearly died at the sight of Prince Jaune Arc the First standing at the door with a boyish grin. Of course, it was at this time that Velvet spoke up. "Um… I brought Ja- Prince Arc with me. Surprise…"

The Adel girl would easily admit that she was prideful possibly even bordering on egotistic. That being said, she pushed Velvet away and was on bended knee within two seconds of recognizing her future King. "Your Majesty! I wasn't expecting your arrival."

"You may rise, Ms. Adel."

When Coco stood up and looked at The Valean Prince, he seemed a little flustered at her action. Possibly because she was a friend of his friend. If anything, she should be the nervous one. "Oh ah, do you need anything, your Highness? Um… water… coffee… just anything I can do really."

The Prince smiled mid-way through her sentence "Actually, I more came here just to get out of the castle, though if you could make me an extra strength cappuccino blend I'd be truly appreciative. I don't even care if it tastes good."

"It shall be done!" Coco nearly went to the back to start on it before she was stopped.

"Uh, it doesn't have to be right now. Just keep it in mind." The master tailor nodded, attempting to avoid eye contact. If what Velvet said was true, Jaune wasn't a hard ass about customs and being treated with the utmost revere. However, Coco was just traditional like that in the face of Royalty.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Of course."

The Prince groaned a little but didn't say anything else. "Yeah, yeah. Sure. Anyway, I won't intrude on your and Velvet's alone time." Jaune scratched his face before turning around and walking toward the door. "See you back at the castle Velv."

The teen left out the door and was quickly surrounded by a league of Guard members. The Adel head breathed in relief and sat down on one of the plush couches in the lounge of the tailor/café shop. "Ah, that was a shock."

The bunny girl chuckled a bit and sat down next to her longtime friend. "As usual, I can't stay long. I've only come to inform you that the one tasked with organizing the festivities will be Roman Torchwick. Considering the relationship between you two, I'm sure the teamwork will make for a truly memorable marriage ceremony."

Upon hearing Roman's name, Coco let out a groan. "Psh, that doesn't surprise me at all. He's always been a favorite of Peach."

"Well, you're not wrong. Although the reason she gave was that the Adel family and the Clockwork Guild gets along well. Also, to spite Junior for being arrogant."

"Hmm, sounds about right… Hey, the Prince doesn't know about…" Coco trailed off and looked around the room, alluding to what she was referring to. Velvet smiled knowingly.

"No, he doesn't know. That's a secret remember?" The bunny placed a finger on her lips and winked. The female guild master grinned and pulled the smaller girl closer into a hug. Coco reached up to caress her close friend's silky hair but the sound of the door opening stopped the action dead. The person – a man at the very height of fashion – who walked in smiled lecherously.

"I do hope I'm not intruding on anything." Velvet rolled her eyes and Coco scoffed.

"Fuck off Torchwick."

Doing the opposite of what was requested, Roman walked deeper into the shop and hung up his hat. Well, it had been worth a shot. "My darling, we have much to discuss and I'm not one to put things off." The underground dealer took a seat in a red armchair and waited.

The Adel groaned internally but stood up from her comfortable couch. Velvet grinned at her as if to say, 'what can you do' and got up as well. The bunny was about to make her way to the door but Coco grabbed her arm. "Wait, Bun, I've got something for you take back to the castle."

She went into the back room and came back with a black bag that had a skull and cross… canes on the front. Coco walked up and handed it to Velvet. "Here you go. I forgot I had made this brew for Ozpin awhile back, but he told me it was too strong for him."

The bunny looked at the bag with a mix of wonderment and fear. "Um, Coco, we're not trying to kill the Prince, are we?"

The fashionista waved her hand dismissively. "Of course not. But just to be safe, only give it to him in the smallest possible mug and maybe dilute it."

Velvet still looked unsure but realizing staying any longer would mean being late, the bunny hugged her friend goodbye and left quickly out the door. Coco waved farewell at her friend before turning back to _him_.

"Well, let's get started."

/-/

The native of Vacuo marveled at the lush flora of Beacon's courtyard. It was almost surreal, to see the lush greens and vibrant flowers that represented each spectrum of color. Not only that, but there were insects fluttering around that the girl had only seen in books. Everything that wasn't Grimm in Vacuo had adapted to have scales and or venom – including the people. At least 2 minutes was spent staring at a butterfly. Apparently, the Royal Garden was even more amazing, a fact she couldn't even fathom.

 _I should probably get back to the estate._

Emerald was about to head back but light footsteps headed in her direction drew her attention. Unlike this morning, it wasn't a gray-haired boy being a jackass, just a very pretty dark-haired girl with startling green eyes.

"Hello," spoke the girl, who couldn't be older than fifteen. The ex-thief raised an eyebrow and looked down at the brunette. Emerald looked out her peripherals and noticed that there were Royal Guard members standing close. Now, that wasn't out of place or anything – she was outside of the castle after all – but they seemed very… tense. This girl wasn't just the daughter of a nobleman. She was more than likely one of the famed Arc princesses.

 _Acting classes don't fail me now._

"Hello," Emerald basically sang, the exact way that Ashley taught her. The young princess smiled with such genuine glee that Emerald nearly cooed involuntarily at how adorable the display was. The little girl looked over her outfit with a curious expression.

"You're not from around here, are you? I didn't think the guest would be arriving for the wedding already."

Emerald smiled and shook her head. "Oh no, no. I'm not here for the wedding, though I suppose I'll still be in Vale when it takes place. Actually, I'm staying with my aunt Cinder."

The girl's eyes lit up at that last part. "Advisor Fall is your aunt? That means you're from Vacuo, correct? Vale must be quite the culture shock!"

 _This girl is a lot sharper than she's putting on. Note to self, be aware of the Arc princesses. If Jaune is similar to his sisters – at least this one – I could run into trouble._

"Yes, I only just got here today and I honestly don't think I've seen the color green so much in my entire life. I think I already prefer it more than my home continent which was 2% green and 98% sandstorm wonderland."

 _Though I could do without the humidity and wetness._

"Well, it's nice to hear you're settling in well, despite it being just a day. Wait?!" The girl smacked herself on the forehead. "I haven't gotten your name yet."

"My name is Emerald Sustrai. It's a pleasure to meet you…"

"Nightingale."

 _No last name huh._ The girl's lack of bringing up her last name was the last confirmation she needed that this girl was one of the Arc princesses. In Vacuo, someone might not mention their family name because doing so would make them a target. Being in a powerful family was dangerous. Then again, so was attacking someone from a powerful family. However, Emerald had attempted to read up on Vale customs and there was never a time when someone of noble descent _wouldn't_ give their surname as a sign of wealth or prominence. If she wasn't giving her name, it was more than likely because she didn't want to be treated differently.

 _Hmm, this could be a rather good opportunity to get close to the Royal family._

"Well, it certainly was a pleasure on my end as well. Is your estate on the first level?" The question was calculated. It was meant to convey that not only did Emerald not know the girl was of the Royal family, but also that she was interested in meeting up again. The girl's smile widened but then stalled slightly, which led to a resigned sigh.

"Well, you were sure to find out eventually. My full name is Nightingale Nicole Arc."

Emerald – who once again gave a silent thank you to Ashley – faked being surprised, slowly widening her eyes before quickly putting her head down and kneeling. It was a normal reaction to finding out someone was of Royal blood, and normal was what the ex-thief was going for. Of course, she got the expected reaction.

The raven-haired girl groaned in exasperation and muttered a 'please stand' to Emerald. She complied of course and was met with the indignant glare of the young princess. "This is what I didn't want. Listen, just continue treating me like a normal girl. Honestly, it's just a name."

Emerald smirk and placed a hand on her hip. "Well, that shouldn't be so hard. After all, we have no such traditions in Vacuo. No honor among thieves after all," she said with a wink. Emerald was awarded a second later with the bubbly laughter of Nightingale. It was a common jab at people from Vacuo, that they were all thieves. One that most took in stride or like Emerald, would joke about it with others.

"Well, I really should be getting back to my aunt's estate. I haven't even gotten to see her today. We really should meet up again sometime though, Nightingale."

The girl nodded in agreement and was about to reply but her words caught at the sight of something behind Emerald. "Big brother!" The girl began frantically waving and laughing. "How long have you been standing there?"

Emerald – who was internally cursing herself – turned around to see a young blonde-haired boy standing off a few paces away with a mini legion of Royal Guard members. _I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be talking to the Prince before consulting with Cinder… oh, he's coming this way now. Well, whoops I guess._

"Hello, I'm Jaune Arc."

 _Well, at least he isn't ugly._ It looked like Jaune was going to go for a handshake but realized that could be too informal considering his status, but then failed to understand what the hell he was supposed to do. Emerald for her credit knew it would be appropriate to bow or kneel for the heir but that felt a bit stiff after what Nightingale said, so she sort of nervously shuffled until finally nodded her head to him.

"Uh, Good Morning, Your… Highness?"

Jaune cracked a smile before giggling a bit. "Not used to formalities, huh?"

The green haired girl felt a rush of anger rise to her face, though she gained control over it quick enough. "I grew up in a place where it's actively encouraged to attack people of higher rank, excuse me for being a bit awkward," Emerald said rather off-handedly. Jaune and her stared at each other before the boy put a hand to his mouth and began snickering a bit at the bluntness. _He likes straightforwardness._

When Jaune finally stopped laughing, he displayed a grin nigh identical to his sisters. "Well, that's a new one. You're Emerald, correct?"

"Yes. Emerald Sustrai," she spoke in a light, but not bubbly voice. The ex-thief pushed her bangs - which hadn't been cut in quite awhile - from in front of her eyes. Then to end the combo of subtle movements, she smiled brightly - this alone was worked on for 3 months - and extended her hand. Emerald even flared her aura ever so slightly so as to appear to glow softly.

" _Remember to initiate physical contact at all cost."_

Despite a handshake likely breaking a few caste rules, he readily extended his hand in kind and took hers. They were soft - Emerald's hands that were. Ashley had spent religious devotion making sure every part of the girl's body was smooth and soft with just the right amount of muscle. At one point she even created an equation for how much jiggle there needed to be in each area of her body.

She stepped in closer than needed for the warm handshake as well. Not enough for it to be noticeable, but just enough for him to pick up the smell of jasmine she always wore. Throughout this whole meeting, she never broke eye contact either, keeping her gaze soft while also having a moderate level of confidence. _"Make the boy feel out of his league while also maintaining his dignity."_

The handshake ended, only lasting around two seconds, but it felt like 2 months for Emerald. Without consulting with Cinder first on the Prince's preferences, she could really only fall back on the general tips Ashley had taught. Whether or not she was successfully making an impression on his mind couldn't be known for sure, but the dusting of red on his cheeks was a good sign.

"If you already knew my name, I take it my aunt mentioned me."

"Yes. You're in Vale because of a marriage dispute between your parents, right?"

That one took her off guard for a second. Emerald ran a hand through her hair in what could be considered a sign of discomfort. In reality, she was attempting to think of a way to turn the conversation in her favor. The separation of Ashley and Richard didn't affect her emotionally seeing that it was all for show. However, it sure must have appeared as if it did because Nightingale was elbowing her brother hard in the rib cage after a moment of awkward silence.

"Ow! Nighty, why?" Jaune doubled over a bit and held his side, wincing in pain. The Royal Guard standing around them just kind of looked on in awkward stillness, clearly not comfortable in breaking up what was a normal sibling spat.

"Because you're an insensitive fool. Also, don't call me Nighty!"

Nightingale grabbed Emerald by the hand and began leading her away toward the castle. The ex-thief more or less let herself be dragged by the smaller girl. Smiling and waving to a still slightly dazed Jaune Arc. _Well, as far as first impressions go, I'm sure this wasn't the worst._

As the two girls and a few Guard got closer to the castle, Emerald remembered that she in fact needed to get back to Cinder's estate. "Wait, I still need to see my aunt!"

The small girl looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm, that's true. Although there is a good chance that she has headed back to the Meeting Hall, considering that it was set to being in some time. I'll take you there and if she hasn't come we can go to your estate. If she's there, you can say hello and get to see how Vale handles its decisions first hand."

 _Well, there isn't much to lose._ "Okay. Let's go."

/-/

Cinder felt better after her nap. Much better. To her displeasure, Emerald still wasn't home when she awoke, but that was decidedly fine. The briefing could wait until tomorrow, or whenever they got the chance to talk. So, with her confident smugness back in full force, Cinder took her place among the other Advisors.

"Did you get to see your niece?" Peach whispered from beside her. The dark-haired women smiled and shook her head.

"No, it would seem Mercury gave her the go ahead to go exploring in my absence. On the plus side, the nap I had was absolutely glorious."

"I can tell. Why you're practically glowing Ms. Fall." This was spoken with a hint of mirth at the end, Peach only using Cinder's last name when she wanted to pick. It was a game of wit they would often play while waiting for proceedings to begin, but before it could get started, a voice spoke up from overhead.

"Let the assignment of roles for the wedding of Jaune Arc, Prince of Vale and Weiss Schnee, Princess of Atlas continue." The person speaking, the Prince himself, already sounded bored just speaking the words. His voice was so monotoned and depressed that just hearing it added years to one's life while putting them into a coma.

Cinder sighed and looked to her side, and saw Oobleck sitting perfectly still below her. It was a rare occasion when the man wasn't either sipping coffee or just twitching slightly ever so often. But right now, he was perfectly still. In fact, she didn't think he'd moved at all for the past 9 hours, including the small break.

 _Wait a minute… do his glasses have eyes painted on the lenses?!_

The Dust manipulator scanned the other Advisors and realized that not just Oobleck was completely out of it. Port – who naturally kept his eyes closed – was breathing far too regularly to be awake. It was infuriating.

 _Naturally, that would be the reason he wasn't talking my ear off when I arrived back._

The woman more than likely would have spotted more covert sleepers were it not for something invading her vision. A glare of some kind, though no matter which way she turned her head it didn't go away. She scanned a few people in the crowd but saw no one with a mirror or any other reflective device. Looking up at the area set aside for the Royal family or honored guest, she finally found the culprit. When their eyes met, the glare disappeared. Emerald smiled nervously and waved.

Seeing Emerald sat between Ginger Arc and Nightingale Arc did something to Cinder. She couldn't quite describe it, but it was immensely satisfying. Like her work taking care of itself. It was the same feeling as when Mercury announced he gained the favor of Peter by designing the military barracks a training room, which would be built later this year. Pride? Who knows. She would have to find out how the crimson eyed girl managed such a thing, but for now… _Well done._

 _/-/_

Jaune wasn't listening to whoever was speaking at the moment. No one was really listening to whoever was speaking at the moment. If it was something important then sure, he might have paid attention, but one of the noblemen was currently outlining their entire family history… something so inconceivably boring that it should be considered a threat to the Royal family's health. Even Ozpin was doing a one-hundred-mile stare into the abyss of his mindscape. _Maybe_ Glynda was paying attention. Tai was just straight up sleeping and leaning on Port.

"Velv?" Jaune asked, looking to his side. Velvet had shown up a bit late to the assembly much to the girl's distress, though it seemed that initial worriment quickly turned into tedium. The girl was mimicking Ozpin's patented stare, her mind adrift somewhere far beyond these walls. As the nobleman droned on, Jaune found himself getting lost in thought as well. Oddly enough, that quickly homed in on the dark-skinned beauty from earlier.

Jaune chalked this up to that fact that she was literally the most interesting thing to happen in days. Kingdom politics wasn't exactly an action-packed thriller or anything. Even if the meetings didn't get so dull at times that one would begin to consider the merits of a lobotomy via a rusty spoon, Jaune felt that this Emerald girl would still have made an impression. He'd seen her talking to Nightingale before the two became aware of his presence. She seemed good natured while also having a spark of something more passionate.

 _I think I want to see her again._

Jaune idly looked up to where some of his sisters were sitting and saw that they were chatting quite enthusiastically with the green haired girl.

 _Guess that won't be a problem._

Letting his gaze fall back to the podium he was sitting at, Jaune saw the cup of coffee that Velvet had brought for him, still steaming. Coco worked fast, he'd give her that. Seeing that otherwise, Jaune would fall asleep – and what example would that set – he lifted the mug and took a sip. It was bitter, but not overwhelming so. The only thing that changed was that large ripples in reality that began appearing around the speaker every time he opened his mouth. It took a few seconds for Jaune to realize he was seeing sounds.

 _Well, I did ask for this brew to be strong._

Shrugging, the Prince stared into the dark liquid before taking another large sip.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Honestly, I really liked the way this chapter turned out and it was fun to write as well. Sadly, I base my self-esteem on what others think, so tell me what you thought as well. Next chapter a fan favorite appears for the first time. Let's see if anyone can guess who it is based on the title.**

 **Next Chapter: A White Fang Among Rotten Teeth**


	5. A White Fang Among Rotten Teeth

Chapter 5: A White Fang Among Rotten Teeth

Beta: Shad0wReaper133

* * *

Twilight was the warning that rested between day and night, telling the weary traveler that indeed it was time to set up camp, even if "camp" consisted of laying down a tarp and calling it day. Depending on the temperature at the time of resting, which was almost always ranged from cool to mid-freezing, hypothermia could set in. The complete lack of cloud cover was the reason for such drastic ranges of temperature between day and night.

These harsh conditions prompted the need for protective clothing, this went for those of native descent or visitors. On particularly sizzling days, the sand could fry human skin and even eat away at aura. The lone traveler knew this and thus was clad in typical Vacuo fashion. Her garb consisted of a white linen tunic, a sleeveless cherry red cloak, and a matching kufiya. To fend off the sands stinging bite, the lone traveler also wore form fitting white boots specially made in Vacuo, the soles being weaved with Ice Dust. In fact, every piece of clothing had Dust weaved in. Ice for the daylight and Fire for when the sun went down. Of course, aura helped in regulating body temperature and made it possible to survive extreme environments such as this. Though, if it was relied on too heavily, it would leave her at about 75% at any given time which could be the difference between life and death if a battle were to take place.

Speaking of conserving energy - or at least her own - the lone traveler was currently riding on the back of a camel, one out of three she decided to bring along. They would be a nice convenience for the first week or two. Crossing the wastelands outside the territories of Vacuo was downright suicidal, this being the opinion of everyone. Unlike the other Kingdoms of Vale, Mistral, and even the frozen tundra of Atlas, Vacuo had no dreams of expansion. Vacuo wasn't only strange in that regard, it wasn't even a Kingdom in the conventional sense. It was a multi-ethnic complex of territories governed by a central power. It could be considered an Empire, though few actually referred to it as such. Another way Vacuo differed from the norm was the fact that finding civilization not affiliated with the central government was not only incredibly rare, it just simply didn't happen. This was a result of all resources of Vacuo belonging to Vacuo, which meant 100% of the resources. Nearly all of the foodstuffs were imported from the Kingdom of Vale and the government owned every port, naturally. Not to mention the capital was the only known place other than a few sparse wells, where a consistent source of water could be found. The farther away from the capital meant less ability to obtain fresh water, which was rationed out to the surrounding territories. This was the reason many of the outskirt territories survived on snake juice and cactus blooms. Border towns were known to be half crazy with the lack of hydration, virtually no nutrients, an abundance of incest, or a combination of the three.

Many territories used claimed they would leave from Vacuo and create their own Empire by locating Eve's Bosom, a "magical" and very much folkloric second oasis said to exist in the wastelands of Sanus. Despite it clearly being an invention of the desperate - everyone needs to put faith in something after all - many had taken the leap of faith and attempted a trek into wastelands outside of Vacuo Proper, what had been dubbed the Entrance to Hell. This inconceivably horrific place was where all went to die. The environment seemingly became sentient and actively annihilated any trespassers. The dead areas between territories were punishing. Hell's Gate was Hell on Remnant.

Oddly enough, this rang true for the most prepared someone could possibly be to the bare bones backpacker. An excellent example of this would be the previous Emperor of Vacuo - a mad man of impressive physical prowess by the name of Justin the Second. He claimed he'd find Eve's Bosom and finally liberate everyone from the "servitude" of the Vale Kingdom, despite Vale never demanding anything but support in military matters and free trade. The announcement was met with much fanfare. This was primarily because deep in the hearts of the people, they knew he wouldn't be coming back. He departed with weeks' worth of food and water, elite guards, and concubines to keep up the morale. Come two months later, word spread that a messenger of the Emperor arrived back from the Entrance to Hell. Surprise, surprise, Justin Beige of Ephesus the Second was dead along with the convoy. The single guard to survive told a tale of week-long sandstorms, endless colonies of Dermestid Grimm beetles, and heat thick enough to be visible. Thus ended the detrimental rein that nearly ruined Vale and Vacuo's nigh unbreakable friendship along with any ambition to ever cross into the wastelands in search of the myth known as Eve's Bosom.

Except it wasn't a myth. Far from the truth in fact. Many legends of Remnant were true actually, but that was a whole different matter for a whole different time.

Ashley Sustrai had personally seen many amazing things that defied logic. Finding Eve's Bosom seemed like just another task to be completed. Leaving her comfortable home in Vacuo and loving husband had been a harder order than going into the badlands. She missed the touch of Henry.

" _Will you be safe my love? Maybe... Maybe this assignment could be given to-"_

" _Hush Darling. Continue to feed supplies to our friends in Mantle and I assure you we'll be reunited in no time. Mother has never lied to either of us."_

" _Certainly. I suppose... this is au revoir for now, my Lee Lee."_

Ashley - even now - smiled at the memory of the nickname Henry had given her years ago. The memory of Cinder often shaking her head in disgust at said nickname was also a source of great amusement. Her little sister would most likely never understand such things as love. A pity, even if Ashley realized love was something of a weakness.

Coming out of her thoughts, she stopped the camels from going any further and dismounted the large animal. Nightfall was coming, and it wouldn't be long before darkness completely engulfed the land. Ashley walked to the second camel, removed the mat she'd been sleeping on for days and laid it down on a soft looking patch of sand. She then removed one of her canteens and took a few sips of precious water. Most of her storage was taken up by canteens of water - seeing as it was by far the most important thing needed to survive in the climate. After drinking down enough to stave off dehydration, she retrieved a nutrition bar and ate half of it. It tasted like utter trash, but Watts assured it had all the recommended nutrients needed to survive. So it was worth the bad before and after taste. Compared to all the years of training her mental faculties and practice to slow down her metabolism so as to go days without feeling hunger, this was nothing. If she could not accomplish this task then no one could.

Ashley unsheathed her curved Mameluke sword and laid it next to the mat. Its handle was white ivory and the blade had been forged over many painstaking hours until it was flawless - Ashley knowing this because it had been her to do the forging. This was a common practice for Vacuo citizens. Forging your first and often the only weapon was a rite of passage for many of the top families. The weapon and the wielder were meant to be one and the same, an extension of the soul, similar to Aura. Aura was so heavily focused on in creating personal weapons it was said the objects would take on the personality of the maker itself. Ashley wasn't so sure about that, but Torride Masquerade was possibly her most precious possession. Along with her blade, she also grabbed her composite bow and quiver of arrows, laying it beside the mat. Ashley was never one to be underprepared after all. Each arrow was tipped with a certain type of Dust. Most of it being Lightning, as it was the most effective against the widest variety of creatures, including people.

Finally, she withdrew a compass and the most important item of all, a 300-year-old map of Sanus. Quite possibly the last of its kind. On this map was the legendary oasis, Eve's Bosom. After interviewing just about everyone who had returned from the Entrance to Hell, it had been concluded why the oasis couldn't be found anymore. It was not because it no longer existed.

As the sun completely disappeared over the horizon, Ashley pulled out a Fire Dust crystal and infused enough aura in it to radiate heat throughout the night. Then, just as Mother had instructed her to do every night without fail, she withdrew a silken white glove and placed it on her right hand. There was something she personally didn't like about the accessory, particularly the odd rune inscribed into it. It felt unsettling in a unique way. Oddly enough, Mother had claimed it would "keep the fear away." Seeing as her travel had been marked by a striking lack of Grimm, the function was beginning to become clear.

 _Amazing. Truly amazing._

With thoughts of tomorrow's trials, Ashley finally laid down for the night and drifted away into peaceful sleep. Sadly, there were no dreams tonight, just like the last week. It seemed one didn't dream when the glove was on.

/-/

The art of flower crowns was trickier than one would first expect. Of course, for one with as nimble of fingers as Emerald, catching on fairly quickly was not such a hard feat. However, it still amazed her that she was even participating in such an activity. Not just participating, but actually enjoying herself…though that was scarier than surprising. After adding the final flower, she completed her fifth flora adornment. The excitable girls around her cheered at Emerald's success.

"That's a nice one Emerald! It's hard to believe you grew up in a desert." Amber commented, appearing behind the Vacuo native like a gopher coming out its hole.

Emerald chuckled a bit putting the finished crown onto the strawberry blonde girl's head. Then taking up a mock air of haughtiness, she shrugged and replied with an, "Of course, I'm perfect after all," which got another round of laughter from the girls.

All the Arc girls, minus Lavender and Ginger who were not present, giggled at their new friend and continued to mess around with each other in the Royal Gardens. Emerald laid back into the soft grass and closed her eyes, simply taking in the moment. Cinder's face came to mind, along with the instructions she'd been given to carry out after they had finally gotten a chance to talk. Befriending the Princesses was currently taking top priority over everything, even the seduction of Jaune Arc. Emerald could see why as well. In the past two weeks, she'd become a common face in Beacon Castle, the Princesses readily inviting her over for chats, tea, or like now, just for play. Now if someone saw her talking to Jaune, it wouldn't seem so out of place. Sadly, the opportunity to get alone time with the Prince was a very small window. He was incredibly busy and almost always surrounded by Advisors. It was becoming apparent he was a hands-on kind of ruler.

This fever of activity was caused by the fact that one of the most important unions in history was about to take place and everything needed to be perfect. The central city around the Castle and the lower levels were apparently being completely cleaned and revitalized to make the appearance of a bustling economy. Money was being thrown at the farmers by the fist full to make crops "grow faster" and as completely insane as that sounded, it was working. Confirming in Emerald's eyes that farmers were in fact, magical beings who decided weather conditions. That or the Kingdom of Vale was personal friends with one of the seasons. Yeah, as if.

Regardless, none of this really interested Emerald. It had nothing to do with her task and was thus meaningless. Speaking of which, befriending the Arc's was easy as pie. And sweet as pie. Honestly, if someone were to bottle the aura of sugar and spice the girls gave off, particularly Hazel, a teaspoon would be enough to cause instant diabetes and liver failure. They were just so... nice.

The grass beside Emerald crinkled under the weight of someone lying beside her. Cracking open one eye to see who it was, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of the Jaune resting beside her, eyes closed in thought. When had he even shown up?!

Without opening his eyes, Jaune asked, "Hey Emerald, you mentioned you met the King of Vacuo, right?"

 _I suppose I did mention that to Nightingale once. She must have told him._

"I... yes. We didn't really get a chance to talk exactly." She left out the part where Ashley had arranged a duel between her and the young Prince of Vacuo. It wasn't a battle for the throne, those were only held every ten years, but simply as a display of strength. Those were quite common in Vacuo and the challenge could always be declined, but that made the person who declined appear cowardly, something that could easily wreck a reign in the Empire. Regardless, she'd lost to the trident user in a well-fought battle, both having come away from it with their fair share of scars. In the end, it was a win for both families seeing that the Sustrai name - which had been on the decline during that time - had proved itself capable of retaining its high status and the ruling family had proven they still deserved their title. Afterward, the Sustrai family was even invited to dine with the Royal family and discuss future plans for the kingdom. Emerald had been present for that of course, but she was only addressed by the Emperor once.

"Okay then." Responded the Prince, opening his eyes finally and turning to look at her. The crystal clear blue eyes were intense, especially because his face was only a few inches from her. Emerald sucked in a breath as he kept speaking. "Do you know what he's like? We're sending out invitations to the other Kingdoms and I thought it would advantageous to know a bit about them before pinning anything down."

"Oh, I see. Well, he's a very boisterous man who loves a good fight. Hates the word 'cannot' and loves the word 'can."' Emerald paused and brought up the mental image of her former ruler. Stark navy colored hair, a grin that was large enough to split the head of an elephant but seemed to rest perfectly on a chiseled face. A cape that seemingly defied physics by bellowing in the wind even if there was not a breeze to be found. "Honestly, just be as crass as possible and I'm sure it'll be fine. Mention the food that will be present as well and make it as non-professional as possible."

Jaune nodded his head with a sage look on his face. "I see. No wonder him and my father were such good friends… anyway," the Prince started while getting to his feet and brushing off some dirt. "I thank you for the advice. Maybe I'll come and find you to look over the finished product, yeah?"

Emerald swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that. You know, my Aunt probably would have more information than me."

The Prince turned to face her and flashed a winning smile. "Sure, but I think I'd prefer your company."

 _Oh._

"Actually, I." Emerald paused and cocked her head in confusion.

"Hmm, what's wrong."

"Your face is melting I think."

With a nondescript expression Jaune placed a hand to his cheek and indeed the skin around his left eye seemed to be sliding off his skull. In fact, the whole of his left side was completely sagging. "Oh, this. Just a side effect. Velvet, I'm crashing again!"

As if appearing out of thin air, the bunny servant, which might as well have been Jaune's shadow, handed him a cup with copious amounts of steam coming from the top. Despite the fact it must have been piping hot, Arc downed it with hasty, bordering on desperate gulps. After finishing, his skin regenerated as if by magic and gained its elasticity again.

"Okay, my life force is back! Well, see you later Emerald."

He then ran off at an extreme pace, jumping and hee-hawing all the way. Emerald almost felt bad for the Royal Guards having to chase after him. _Jaune Arc is loony... and unpredictable. Seducing him may be harder than expected. Well, at least this won't be boring._

"Don't mind him, Emerald."

The ex-thief turned to see a mirror image of Jaune standing beside her, though the feminine voice and long hair was the only indication this was Lavender. _Jeez, do Arcs have the ability to teleport?_

"Ah, hey Lavender. When did you get here? Also, I'll take your advice since I have no idea how to think critically about whatever just happened."

Jaune's twin sat down beside Emerald with a sigh. "My brother has just been very stressed lately, what with the wedding date approaching and his usual stress relief is... absent. Thus him finding comfort in a cup of questionable coffee."

Emerald raised an eyebrow. She really wanted to know about what makes a cup of coffee questionable but the stress relief sounded a bit more pertinent to her end goals. "Umm, what sort of 'stress relief' if I may ask? Surely the heir to the throne would be hard pressed to find anything that could not be gifted to him on a silver platter."

Lavender placed a hand on her cheek and turned away, probably trying to come up with a response that wouldn't be considered tactless. Emerald was playing coy of course, Cinder was very informative about the sexual appetite of Jaune Arc, something which was to be exploited thoroughly. The topic wasn't something to be brought up in polite company, however, so the eldest Princess was more than likely trying to come up with a routine of verbal gymnastics to avoid breaching the subject directly. Not to mention the fact that there were several young children running around. Maize and her twin Icterine were rolling around in the grass not even a few feet away. After a moment of deliberating, Lavender spoke up once again.

"Well, I guess you could say that Jaune hasn't been able to contact his best friend as of recently and their... talks did him a lot of good. Regardless, it has clearly taken a toll on his mind. The coffee, which could be classified as a schedule one drug, hasn't helped. Or maybe it has helped too much. Anyway, we've all just been a bit worried is all."

"Can't Velvet help? She and Jaune are conjoined at the hip it would seem." Emerald could practically hear Cinder whispering in her ear to get more information. She was going to be so impressed come tonight if the Advisor didn't have a meeting or a soiree to attend of course.

Lavender sighed and looked deeply into Emerald's eyes. "Jaune can't or won't open up to Velvet like that. Although if I had to guess, she would be the closest person to him right now. Though, even that is muddied by feelings of obligations on Velvet's part and even gratitude to an extent."

Emerald raised an eyebrow in the hopes of getting more information. Though it would seem it wasn't to be. Not because Lavender wouldn't keep speaking, but because a Royal Guard with light red hair and pink robes showed up and whispered something into the Princess's ear. The girl nodded and stood up, preparing to leave.

"Sorry to cut our time short Emerald but duty calls. Maybe we can talk some later, yeah?" Lavender asked this with a soft smile, nearly glowing in the rays of the sun. Out of nowhere, a bout of nervousness struck the ex-thief and she fumbled with her words.

"I-I... yeah, I'd like that."

 _Ugh, I need to clear my head._

The Princess nodded curtly, curtsied, and then went on her way. Like the Prince himself, Lavender was usually busy with some form of work, whether it be studying, or learning under Advisor Peach. She could be found at each long and arduous meetings about the wedding, or so the younger sisters had mentioned. Sadly, Emerald didn't have much time to think before a few bundles of joy tackled her to the ground and started an impromptu game of tag.

/-/

The outskirts of the Vale Kingdom were often quite serene, boarding on picturesque. Further, into the continent, the lush green seemed never ending, whilst the high canopy blocked out the occasionally intense sunlight, leaving the ground cool for most of the year. Save for the numerous Grimm that prowled these lands, living away from the eye of Vale wasn't such a bad set up. Especially if the independent civilization had enough people to be industrious. This was the reason that many Faunus choose the at times harsh ire of nature rather than the equally harsh racism that plagued even the most liberal of all Kingdoms - Vale itself.

Unless employed by the crown, which many were as maids, personal servants to nobility, or field hands, a lot were persecuted to the point of poverty. Of course, poverty was a damn sight better than homelessness, but it still wasn't ideal. The result of three generations of liberal rulers had taken its toll on the mindset of Valeans, that being to generally give Faunus a chance. The vast majority worked on farms as field hands or other jobs where high strength was needed. Conditions were never great, but livable. Though, livable wasn't enough for some and thus the small smattering of Faunus villages outside of Vale to avoid racism altogether. In the shady parts of the Kingdom, there were plenty of brothels that featured Faunus women who had become prostitutes to make ends meet, seeing as they were not physically strong enough to be a field hand or skilled in anything specific. As said before, it wasn't a perfect Kingdom of equality, but the effort was there.

Despite all of the racism that still persisted, Blake, a girl considered royalty to many of her kind, didn't hate humans or at least not without some distinction. If she was consumed with blind hatred, then it would stand to reason that Blake would be a hypocrite when she called out humans on generalizing Faunus as filthy criminals and degenerates. Clearly, some good humans existed. If not, then Menagerie wouldn't exist either. Though the island often was seen as a stain on the Faunus plight for multiple reasons, the establishment had still been a step in the right direction. A deal had been forged by the King of Vale along with the Queen of Mistral after a small war with the first White Fang. Menagerie became the belonging of the Belladonna family and Blake's grandfather became the first ruler. With conflict over, the White Fang was mostly dissolved. Mostly.

Since then, the Arc family has continued trying to help the Faunus people by - as mentioned - giving high ranking service jobs to them, building orphanages for them, attempting fair wage decrees, and most of all, proving to be a stable source of foodstuffs for Menagerie. And by all accounts, it seemed that Jaune Arc would be following in his ancestor's footsteps. This had already been seen in his personal servant being a rabbit Faunus, a type of Faunus that was particularly looked down upon because of their characteristic sex drive. "Only good for a quick lay" was a popular phrase when referring to them, even among other Faunus.

Regardless, these were the thoughts that occupied Blake's mind as she and Adam - her lover and co-leader of The New White Fang - walked towards the meeting tent. It was located in the center of the small mobile village they had set up deep into the forest, near the base of the East Mountain that signified the end of Vale's territory. Just far enough away from the Kingdom limits that they wouldn't be noticed while also close enough to get to the outskirts in only three days by a mount. As Blake walked with Adam, she tried not to notice how people looked upon her with reverie, "Our Princess" as many called her. It didn't help when Adam encouraged the view point, even screaming at someone she'd gotten into a disagreement with to "bow to your future Queen!" like some sort of madman.

The two walked into the parted tent flaps together and stood at the head of a large table that took up most of the tent's space. Seven sets of eyes stared back at them, each ready to begin the meeting. Adam cleared his throat and started.

"Well, I'm sure you've all heard the news."

The seven at the table looked around with blank expressions before Bane, a large bear Faunus, spoke up. "Um no, we haven't actually. You called this meeting specifically to tell us wh-"

"Enough talk," interrupted Adam, clearly trying to avoid looking foolish. Blake smiled a bit at his misstep. "The time for action has come brothers and sisters. Our forces have grown one hundred fold, enough to rival any army and we've trained continuously to the point that the very Grimm fear us!" To prove this point, or attempt to prove his point, Adam unsheathed his blade and swung it in a wide arc, accidentally shredding the tent's top into ribbons. This went ignored by everyone in attendance, who were still waiting for the big news.

"No more shall we be raiding border farms for rations and only helping the few Faunus we come upon in the woods attempting to survive. It's time to shake the very Kingdom off its foundations along with Remnant itself. In a few weeks, the monsters who falsely claim to be human - Atlas' entire Royal family - will be arriving in Vale!"

Blake's eyes widened along with all those in attendance. It seemed this wasn't just another vapid meeting for the purpose of 'boosting morale' as her lover would say. Atlas had the universally known reputation for being not only the largest slaver of Faunus in Remnant but also the cruelest. There were slaves in Mistral and even the ever liberal Vacuo - though there were nearly as many human slaves as well in the desert Kingdom. However, none of the aforementioned Kingdoms even came close to Atlas. In both Vacuo and Mistral - debt was usually the culprit for one to be enslaved, not to mention many Mistral aristocrats were fond of adorning their slaves like one would a beloved pet. A glorified game of dress up really. Was it dehumanizing? Yes, at times. But it was a hell of a lot better than the actual 9th level of Hell where Jacques Schnee - a man who played the part of Lucifer better than the fallen angel himself - ruled with his legion of hellions. Able bodied Faunas would be sent to the mines to die. Not literally, of course, that would be counterproductive, though some didn't see the sky for weeks on end. Particularly strong Faunus were bred together in the hopes of creating stronger slaves that would live past the standard 20-year lifespan of a Dust miner. Few escaped, but Blake had met many who did, seeing as they usually made a beeline for Menagerie or the nearly defunct Kingdom of Mantle. They were usually enormous and more animalistic - Bane was one of them. His eyes glittered with fury, hands clenching and unclenching at the very mention of the cursed Schnee name.

It wasn't always this bad from what she had heard. It seemed the war of attrition with Mantle had begun to take a toll on the military super power that was Atlas. Besides being the number one distributor of Dust, they also needed to fuel the year's long conflict. The leader of the rebellion was unknown, however, it was clear they were a genius among geniuses. Despite going against a Kingdom with 1000x more resources and outnumbered them 800 to 1, Mantle hardly ever lost a confrontation and never lost more than ten people. Even with this being the case, however, it did not justify the Atlas' actions.

"The Heir of Vale, despite how much he claims to care for the plight of Faunus, has arranged a marriage between Weiss Schnee and himself! Are those the actions of someone who claims to despise racism? The rhetorical question is rhetorical! Of course, it's not! The Arc family has become a crew of hypocrites and this Jaune Arc will no doubt add to our oppression in this region. What next? Cutting off Menagerie from support? I say we do something before this!"

The tent erupted into cheers, even the guards at the tent entrance who overheard howled in agreement. Blake, however, was silent save for the thundering of her heart… dreading what might come next. Adam had a very dangerous look in his eyes.

"Captain Tyrian, would you like to take it from here?" The scorpion Faunus nodded from the other side of the table and stepped forward. His manic grin ripped his face apart in the worst way possible and yellow eyes twitched with controlled lunacy. Something about him was so… off putting.

"Thank you, brother Adam." He laughed. "Let's start with the end goal."

"Which is?" Asked Blake, finally finding her voice. Tyrian's tail twitched as he visibly attempted to hold in a chuckle. The normally yellow pupils turned a dull purple

"Dear Princess, we're going to kill. What else?"

/-/

The swift kick to the gut would have been rib crushing had Qrow not moved out the way in quick fashion, gripping his opponent's ankle and throwing the female across the open clearing. She tumbled into the dirt with a roll, quickly scrambling to her feet to deflect a possible follow-up attack, though none came. The blonde haired girl smiled when she saw that her uncle had his hands busy.

"You're getting pretty old Qrow if that's all you got!" Shouted Yang, running back into the fray, gauntleted hands raised in preparations.

Qrow quirked an eyebrow as he dodged underneath a scythe blade. Yang's sister felt her mouth drop open at her Uncle and mentor's reflexes, despite witnessing them first-hand many times. She didn't have time to react before an arm wrapped around her waist and she was flung at Yang, who caught her easy enough but also had her vision blocked by Ruby's cape. A second later, the Brawler's legs were kicked out from under her and the two girls tumbled to the ground in a heap. The grizzled Knight admired his handy work before taking a sip from his flask.

"What were you saying about me getting old again? I couldn't hear you from the ground." His nieces had grown a lot in their skill, though, he wasn't the right hand of Ozpin for nothing. "If you can't even hit me while I'm unarmed then you'll never be Knight material. Ain't that right Tai?"

Taiyang was seated on the steps leading into the house. He'd been making lunch just a few moments ago before coming to watch his girls train, thus the reason he still had on a 'kiss the cook' apron. The ex-Knight who acted as an ambassador and advisor nodded in agreement with Qrow, something that wasn't exactly a common occurrence.

"He's right girls, but on that note, lunch is ready. Get inside and wash up." The two teenagers got up and brushed the dirt off their clothes before walking inside with their dad. Qrow was about to follow, but something caught his eye. A black bird perched on a branch overlooking the house. It flew away a moment later.

"Uncle Qrow, you coming?" The Knight looked back at the cabin to see Ruby poking her head out the doorway looking at him with an adorable expression.

"Yeah, I'll be there… just going to draw some water from the well really quick." Ruby nodded before poking her head back into the house. Qrow sighed with a smile and walked into the woods on the narrow path towards said well. He'd actually been meaning to have a water pump built closer next to the house. Or maybe even try to have running water installed, like in the fancy estates of the upper levels in Vale. As he got closer to his destination, the Knight wasn't surprised to see there was someone waiting for him.

"You know, I'm sure Tai would set a spot for you at the table if you asked."

Red eyes glared back at him. "Don't make me kick your ass." Qrow snorted but relented, taking a seat beside his sister on the stone structure. He raised his flask to take another drink but the metal container was swiped from his hand and gulped down by Raven, who coughed a bit at the harsh alcohol. "Nice to see I can still count on you to have the strongest paint remover around." Commented the Branwen twin, wiping her chin and handing back the flask.

"Glad to see I still never disappoint."

"That isn't what Sum-"

"SO, what brings you here dear sister? Or is it just to spy on your daughter as usual."

Raven gripped the handle of her sheath unconsciously before letting out a rather large sigh and running a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I really don't know anymore. Seeing her from afar hasn't really helped as much as I thought it would. Instead of getting it out of my system, my maternal instincts seem to only have gotten stronger. Strange."

Qrow gave her a deadpanned stare. "Yeah… that's kinda how being a mother works. You know, she still talks about finding you. Funny, seeing how you're usually not that far away."

"Yep. Fucking hilarious. Anyway, I wanted to say that you should watch out during that wedding of Vale's Prince."

Qrow quickly sobered up at the mention of Jaune's safety and looked out the side of his eye. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes. Something doesn't feel right, though I can't put my finger on it. Take it however you want I suppose." Raven stood up and walked a few paces away before withdrawing her sword and slashing the air, opening up a rippling red tear in reality. Before walking into the portal, she looked back at her brother. "And Qrow, as usual, tell no-one of this."

Qrow waved a hand in dismissal. "Yeah, yeah. Say hey to the tribe for me." Raven rolled her eyes and disappeared along with her portal. The silence afterward was deafening, even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. With his mind clouded in thought, the Knight hauled up some water and headed towards the house, hoping that there would still be something left for him to eat. Those girls had appetites like wolves.

/-/

Two massive flagships cut through the turbulent waters between Atlas and Vale. The sea had been very unkind as of late and seemed to want the two flagships along with the mini fleet of battleships behind them to capsize. Gale force winds and chilling rain made standing on the deck nigh impossible. It was so bad that a few Dust mages had been sent out to try and blast some of the storm clouds to lessen the typhoon, though they were quickly worked into exhaustion. Both ships - The Ironwood and The Spee - were heavy armored vessels and could easily take their fair share of punishment, just like the men the flagships were named after. They were only two out of the three flagships at Atlas' disposal, The Bismarck and its General had been left in Atlas to protect the Kingdom.

While the outside of the ships was in fine shape, the inside and more specifically the inhabitants of the inside might as well have been strapped to a bucking bull. Not wanting to head outside, many found receptacles to vomit in for later disposal. At one point, The Ironwood was captured by a wave and was raised nearly 40 meters into the air before dropping back into the sea. Everyone on board had felt weightless for nearly half a second and immediately felt the stomach flips that followed.

Not even the Royal family was exempt from this natural reaction despite how high of a pedestal they were placed on. Except for Weiss, of course. She was above such base human reactions as vomiting or nausea. Instead, she was huddled in a heap of her bed sheets attempting to ignore the constant shifting of the ship and harsh sound of hail pinging off the haul. The Princess was absolutely miserable, not just because of the extreme weather, but also the fact that of the three girls in her quarters, only she seemed to be affected. This point was driven home when her friend and Lady of the Bedchamber spoke up in a confused voice.

"Mistress Weiss, are you attempting to burrow into the bed?"

Weiss groaned and pushed her face deeper into the pillow, feeling far too tired to even address that question. Thankfully, the First Lady of the Bedchamber issued out a response in the Schnee's stead.

"Hush Penny, Mistress Schnee is simply attempting to disregard the storm outside. Correct, Mistress?" Asked Ciel, who constantly pined for Weiss' approval in all things. With her face still buried into the silk pillow, she raised a thumbs up. After this, the two Ladies of the Bedchamber continued to talk among themselves, managing in be oblivious to each lurch, bump, or shake. Weiss could only guess that Ms. Soleil simply was too professional to acknowledge it and Ms. Polendina was just being a dunce. A lovable dunce mind you, but still a dunce.

"If I may suggest Ms. Schnee, maybe engaging in conversation will help you to take your mind off our current situation. We could talk about Spee's latest campaign, new musical numbers, the cutest Princes…"

"Ciel!" Weiss popped her head up from the pillow to look at the dark skinned girl. Her expression was stoic as usual, though deep within the girl's eyes was a hidden mirth. Well, if her goal had been to get the Princess worked up enough to speak, mission accomplished. Weiss let out a puff of air at being duped, though she did relent and sit on the edge of her bed. "Not a word about the blonde dunce."

"But Mistress Weiss, I have heard that Jaune Arc is _the_ sexy!"

Ciel and Weiss' eyes widened at Penny's proclamation, something she no doubt picked up being around the other Ladies. How dare they corrupt the precious cinnamon roll with their dirty talk. That would have been bad enough but the redhead kept going. "Yes, Jonathan Arc was quite the ladies' man and his Queen was also blessed heavily by nature." To emphasize the point, the animated girl raised her hands around chest level and fondled large imaginary breasts. "Therefore, it would only make sense that their offspring is as attractive. Not to mention Jonathan Arc's endowments were-"

"Penny! Dear lord, who have you been talking to?" Screamed Ciel and Weiss. The oddity that they would say something so specific in unison was looked over by the even stranger display their usually naive friend was putting on. Penny placed her hands in her lap - thank goodness for that - and looked at them with a confused pout. She didn't like to be yelled at after all.

"I was merely paraphrasing Queen Whitney and her associate's conversations from when I'm helping to serve. They are quite enlightening."

Ciel huffed and straightened out her nightgown, putting on a neutral expression once again trying to keep her composure together. Weiss also tried to regain a semblance of composure, however, her skin being the hue of a tomato ruined the image. "Well… this conversation has barely started and it is already proving to as entertaining as it is debased." Weiss commented.

"Quite. In the interest of not hearing any more of said debauchery, I vote for a change in conversation topic," proposed Ciel. Seeing that no one objected, she continued. "So, your Highness, how has the training been coming along?"

"Fine, I suppose." Weiss looked at the case across the room where Myrtenaster resided. "Winter hasn't had much time to teach me many new techniques, so it has been a lot of trial and error. Penny, what do you think?" The friendly red-head was also Weiss' main sparring partner, the girl having learned a few things from her uncle - General Ironwood. Her immense aura was a trial and a half to deal with and a single punch could dent steel. Impressive, but she expected no less from kin of Ironwood.

"I think you have greatly improved Mistress. The last time we sparred, I could barely follow your movements." The girl proclaimed with a smile. Weiss let out a puff of air at the memory and raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"You were going easy on me I'm sure. However, at least I'm not a helpless damsel in distress either…"

There was a lull in the conversation and the girls simply relaxed in each other's company. After about a minute of the only sound in the room being each other's breathing, Ciel perked up and took on a small smile. This didn't fail to go unnoticed by Penny.

"Friend Ciel?" This got Weiss' attention as well. They looked at the First Lady of the Bedchamber for an explanation. The dark skinned girl stood and extended a hand to Weiss, who tentatively took it and stood as well.

"Do you feel that Mistress?" The Princesses expression was unimpressed, though she played along since her best friend was acting so uncharacteristic.

"Other than your hand I don't feel any-"

Weiss stopped herself when she realized what Ciel was getting at. The Ironwood neither shook or swayed. In fact, there wasn't even a gentle rise and fall of the ship. It seemed the storm had passed without them noticing. Her First Lady had a neutral expression, but Weiss could see the cheeky grin she was holding back at being right. The Princess embraced the girl with a tight hug and laughed despite not exactly knowing why.

"Did you know you're amazing?"

Ciel's response was in the same tone she used when addressing General Ironwood or Jacques. Weiss could feel the hidden tenderness for herself though, especially when Ciel returned the hug. "Just doing my job, Madame."

/-/

"You know Miss Scarlatina," spoke Jaune, looking at the sun set behind the mountains, the sky a spectacle of reds, violets, and yellows. "Life is just a series of events. Snapshots in time. Like a cosmic flip book where the pages of paper represent space and time."

"Very insightful, your Highness."

Jaune smiled and shed a tear before taking another sip of coffee. "When you think about it, we're just bugs on a rock in a void. And Grimm are the equalizers. Without them, the population would swell and humans would be unstoppable. But all that spiral power would become too great and attract space invaders. So if you think about it, Grimm are the heroes." Jaune took another sip.

"Very interesting, your Highness… Please don't repeat that to anyone."

The Prince continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Man, it's hard to believe that Lavender is getting married in a couple of weeks. I mean I've watched that girl grow up and soon she'll be Weiss' to protect. That Schnee better treat her right."

Velvet ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. _I love my job and Jaune but holy crap._ "Jaune, sweetie. You're the one getting married to Weiss."

Jaune turned around and looked at Velvet with a skeptical expression. "I'm what?"

"Oh boy." Velvet turned around to the twelve Royal Guard who had gathered around wondering what to even do and more or less had been waiting for the servant to handle the situation. "One of you go get his mom. Or maybe Nora." Velvet turned back around and slowly started walking towards her master like one would a skittish puppy.

"Jaune, do you know where we are?"

The Prince looked offended. "We're in throne room looking wistfully at the sunset. Tell her Ozpin," he said, pointing to a random Royal Guard who definitely wasn't Ozpin. Velvet sucked in a larger breath. _I'm going to kill Coco after this._

"Sweetheart, we're currently on the roof of the castle." _Not to mention the fact that the throne room doesn't have windows..._

"Which one?"

"Which one?... Beacon Castle you dummy, what, you think we teleported to Mistral!" The bunny took a moment to calm down. "Jaune, you are currently on the roof of Beacon Castle, in nothing but your underwear, having what I can only call a hallucinatory nervous breakdown."

Jaune looked at her with a blank stare before looking back at the sunlight. It seemed reality was finally setting in. The Prince took another sip of his mug. "Velvet, are you feeling okay? You're not making any sense."

Velvet threw her hands up in exasperation. "That's it, I give up. We're doing this the hard way." As she said this "the hard way" showed up beside the bunny and did a quick scan. Nora grinned widely.

"Well, didn't think I'd see him in his underwear again so soon." Velvet turned to the pink outfitted Royal Guard and quirked an eyebrow.

"Isn't that supposed to be a secret?"

Nora let out a huff. "Yep, but according to Master Goodwitch apparently everyone knows! _You're not subtle, Ms. Valkyrie_. _If it wasn't for Peach's damage control this would be the gossip of the land, Ms. Valkyrie. That syrup was supposed to last three weeks, Ms. Valkyrie."_ A few of the other Guard chuckled at their friend's impression of the strict Master, then immediately made sure said Master wasn't behind them. That woman could be anywhere.

"Anyway, he was acting like this the first time I pegged him. I'll handle it," said Nora casually, walking towards the jittery teen. As she got closer, he put a protective hand around the coffee cup, the source of this entire fiasco. Nora cleared her throat and leaned in closely before whispering something. The Prince froze up. Velvet, seizing the opportunity, sprang forward and snatched the coffee cup out of his hand. When he attempted to snatch it back, Nora tackled him to the ground.

"Nooo, please! It's the only way for me to see into eternity! I'll do any-"

Nora rolled her eyes and pressed two fingers just below Jaune's chin. "Boop. Goodnight, sweet Prince." Before the girl had finished talking, Jaune's eyes had already rolled into the back of his head and the boy passed on into unconsciousness. Nora stood and brushed herself off before turning to Velvet and raising her hand for a high five. "Girl power!"

Velvet rolled her eyes but returned it nevertheless. As the Prince and future King's unconscious body was transported off the roof with care, the servant stopped Nora from leaving. She coughed and fought down a blush.

"Um, Nora. Why did you say that word?"

The bubbly girl perked up. "Hmm, so you heard that huh. Long story short, it was kinda our safe word. I'd tell you all the depraved details behind that, but it's almost curfew. Come find me later if you're interested in the whole thing."

Velvet's ear twitched a little at the sentiment and began walking back down to the lower levels of Beacon Castle with the girl. "Against my better judgment, I might have to take you up on that."

After a few seconds of silence, Velvet spoke up again. "So, how have you been Nora? I haven't seen you around the castle lately. And I'm aware of the situation, but it's been quiet without you around."

The female Guard sighed and lost a bit of pep in the step. "I've been okay. Master Goodwitch keeps my body and mind busy to make my alienation from Jaune easier. Honestly, though, all the effort has been a bit superfluous."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I guess you could say I'm good at ignoring things that bother me. Like not being able to see Jaune is hard I'll admit, but it's not like I would be so burdened by sadness as to break Master's order." Nora rubbed her arm a bit. "It's not like I didn't prepare mentally for this to happen one day."

 _Huh. It's rare to see Nora so introspective._

"So what do they have you doing then?" Asked Velvet, now genuinely interested. She and the bomber had never been particularly close, though, it wasn't like they were enemies or rivals in love… the very thought was humorous.

"Well, and I'm almost sure this was Ozpin's idea, I've recently been put in charge of Lavender's protection and service for the time being." Nora's light hearted expression reappeared and she giggled a bit. "I guess they figured Jaune's twin would be enough to satisfy my desires."

Velvet laughed along but then blushed horribly at the very thought of Nora getting 'personal' with Lavender. When the busty bomber noticed this, she laughed all the harder. The bunny let out an "eep!" when she felt an arm snake around her waist and was pulled into the ginger haired girl's personal space.

"You're too easy, Scarlatina. Hey, I've got a question I've been meaning to ask you," spoke Nora, now looking in much better spirits. Velvet, who'd given up on squirming out of the Guard's hold, gave her the go ahead to ask.

"Why don't you come around the training area for the Guards anymore? You used to swing by early morning and late afternoons to watch us train."

"Well, I think I learned all I could. In terms of hand to hand and counterstrikes. From what I gathered, each Guard learns the same five martial arts."

 _Should I tell her about my semblance?_

"So you are interested in fighting, hmm? Have you ever actually fought someone seriously before?" Nora asked in a quiet voice as if they were exchanging secrets. Meanwhile, Velvet was gradually growing more embarrassed every time someone walked by and saw her being clutched by the far too friendly girl in pink.

"I've had a few sparring matches with a friend," replied Velvet. "I didn't win of course, but it was more a matter of strength. Something he had in spades."

"Hmm, that's pretty interesting. I might have to challenge you to a duel one of these days…" Nora scratched her chin in thought, clearly not joking at the idea.

"Um, please don't? I'd rather not have to fight, anyway." Nora didn't respond or acknowledge this, which made the Faunus that much more nervous. A few other servants walked by during this leisurely walk of her and Nora's, gawking at the sight of a Guard holding a servant close. Both of them being female no less. _Yep, this is my life._ Thankfully, they soon came to a cross section in the hallway.

"Well sweeter than honey bunny, it looks like this is where we part ways. Maybe we can talk again, yeah?" Velvet looked into the girl's eyes and saw something she liked. So she was able to truthfully say that yes, she'd like that very much. This response was immediately regretted when Nora pinched her butt before swiftly walking away, gaining one last "eep!" from Velvet. The bunny pouted angrily and stomped the ground, almost going after her new friend but let out a sigh instead. There were things to do. She turned to head towards the Royal family's quarters and stopped in her tracks, seeing that Oobleck had been behind her, standing a few meters away.

"Oh, Advisor Oobleck! You didn't…"

Oobleck raised his hands - one holding a coffee cup of course - in the universal sign of backing off. "I do not judge Ms. Scarlatina. I do not judge."

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed that. Thought I'd mention that the reason why Raven is more caring than in canon has been mentioned already. Not fully explained yet but still mentioned. Of course, I'll go into it more as it becomes pertinent.**

 **We finally got a glimpse of fan favorite, Blake Belladonna. I wonder what the White Fang - or New White Fang in this story - could be plotting though…**

 **Next Chapter: Letters to Royals**


	6. Letters and Limerence

_Chapter 6_ : Letters and Limerence Part 1

 _Beta:_ Shad0wReaper133

* * *

The nightlife of the Vale Kingdom was not what one would consider 'jumping.' While there was the occasional party thrown by the odd nobleman or Count, it was not a constant party scene. However, since the announcement of the wedding, this aspect had changed. Soiree's had been happening each night, in fact, there were many on multiple nights. Not only was now the time to form once dormant alliances, but the gossip had recently reached what could be considered a critical mass. Previously unknown information was seemingly all coming out of nowhere. Most without evidence to back up, but all was tantalizing to the tongue and it all was focused on the young Prince.

At this particular party thrown by Advisor Winchester, who had truly become a man of the night scene in recent weeks. Much of the best information and gossip passed through the walls of his large mansion and grand dance hall. Today was slightly different, however. This particular party was being held on the second level instead of the third, where his home near the castle was situated. Of course, Advisor Winchester owned many different places on each level, one of those places consisting of a modest - in terms of a noble - homestead where the Advisor only invited his most trusted of friends. To be invited was quite an honor.

Thus this small soiree consisted of only the best guest in all of Vale, excluding the ones who sided with differentiating ideals. Among the most coveted was the beautiful, indomitable, unmatched Cinder Fall. An unmarried woman promised to no-one of her caliber was for the most part impossible to find anywhere. She turned men into slaves with a look and spoke with the eloquence of a scholar. And like a wise sage, she was often silent and interjected rarely, staying a careful observer for most of the evening.

"I'll say one thing. This marriage, while being beneficial to public relations with Atlas, shall only throw this balance of power in Vale into chaos," muttered the Duke of Newcastle, one of the larger owners of agriculture in the Kingdom. "It will only be a matter of time before the crown adopts the policy of suppressing the noble's authority as Atlas has."

The other eight members nodded and took a drag of their pipes. None audibly agreed or went further. The route of criticising the crown was that of misfortune. This was a place of safety, but there were still limits. Cinder - seated beside Winchester - waved a hand in front of her face to dissipate the smoke that clung there, not a fan of the aroma. It was fairly annoying, even having to be here, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. Information and hidden alliances were uncovered in all their glory in little meetups like this, and she was never one to pass up valuable gems such as these. One of the men present - a young Count who dabbled in the red-light district - quickly put his pipe out when he saw that Cinder appeared displeased. His haste to impress her was noted but sadly, Cinder only found his attempt comical.

"Gentlemen, we have a lady here! Put out your pipes, you dogs," the Count said, chastising his contemporaries. The other men chuckled at their young friend but relented to make their female companion more comfortable. Cinder smiled in false gratitude.

"I assure you I was fine Sterling. If I wasn't used to a bit of smoke then it would be impossible for me to ever get out and have a bit of fun."

This got a good laugh out of the men present, but they snuffed out their pipes regardless. At the very least not to be one-upped by their friend Sterling. Cinder's eyes narrowed in on someone different, however. The oddball out in this get-together.

"How are you doing, little one. Enjoying yourself?"

The first son of the Duke of Newcastle was sitting close to his father and had yet to comment on anything. If what Cinder had heard was to be correct, then the boy was quite soft-spoken in crowds, though made regular appearances in society, as to be expected from an heir. It was really a requirement. So, he was here, and despite her teasing comment about his age, was around 16 years old. Old enough to marry.

"I'm doing very well, Advisor Fall," spoke the boy, his demeanor saying otherwise. Berry or Blu - as he was called by his friends - had deep navy colored hair and roguish looks that made him a hit among all the maidens in the area. On top of being handsome, the lad also was to inherit one of the most sought-after fortunes in the Vale Kingdom, securing his future role in society. However, he rarely spoke and never boasted. Why he was here was quite obvious, the Duke clearly hoping that Cinder would take a liking to the young man. Not in the romantic sense - most had given up on such things with her anyway - but more in the sense of a future business partner.

"That's good Berry. How have your studies been going? Your father has been going on and on how he procured tutors from Mistral."

A few members chuckled at her question since it also doubled as a rib against the Duke who, for the last week at the meetings, had constantly brought up the expensive tutors he acquired by "throwing his weight around." Berry blushed a bit in the face and shrank back.

"My studies have been quite fair. Quite fair indeed."

Lord Huff - a nobleman of considerable mass - chuckled and rubbed his ruddy, runny, and red nose with a handkerchief. "I remember when I was but a lad and given three tutors of considerable skill. Of course, being a young man, I couldn't hinder myself from sleeping with the female one." Lord Huff found this recount so funny, he began laughing and dapping away sweat with the same large handkerchief that had been at his nose but a second ago.

Winchester - attempting to retain some semblance of dignity in front of his female compatriot - leaned over and batted Lord Huff on the arm. "Keep hold of your manners, before I teach you a few."

"As if Winchester, I'd like to see the with my own eyes," spoke Sterling in jest, downing a bit of whiskey. "I heard your son be talkin' up tha big talk. Sayin' he be becoming a Knight, yeah? That fightin' spirit rubbin on yer self lately."

The Advisor took a long swig of his own before responding. "Hm, I'd say not. I'm simply a man of refinement, unlike the company I keep myself with apparently."

Cinder sipped from her own glass - the liquid inside being a particularly expensive Vacuo brand of wine imported just for her. "Please Henry, keep your mouth closed if only vain airs are what comes out. The room is stuffy enough as is."

The men around the table 'oohed' and cawed at the chastising. Lord Huff - after catching his breath - spoke up and began speaking to Berry again. "So my lad, I've heard the news of your engagement. You've snagged quite the catch with the Soli family and their lovely daughter."

For the first time since appearing, Berry showed some emotion other than nervousness. His eyes widened in utter surprise and befuddlement. The boy attempted to speak but gasped instead as if someone had punched him in the gut.

 _Now, this is interesting._

"F-f-father?!" He finally wheezed out, looking at the Duke for an answer. The Duke of New Castle sighed and put down his glass of spirits. After glaring at Lord Huff, who simply raised his hands in innocence, the graying man turned to his son.

"Berry, I've secured a wife for you. You know the Soli girl. She's quite lovely. She shall be your bride to be. As you know, this is the opportunity we've been waiting for to finally unite the two largest agricultural families under one name. Come, come. I did you a favor."

"Bu-but father!? For god's sake, she's only eleven! No more than a child!"

The Duke turned away from his son's distress and continued drinking. "As you are yourself. And she'll be quite beautiful, that girl. You act as if the world has ended."

Blu looked down, not wanting the gentlemen to see the tears pricking in his eyes. Failing a conceal his shame, the boy stood up quickly and called for his personal servant, making hasty steps out the drawing room. The servant followed quickly after him.

The Duke seemed as if he might pursue the matter with his son, but never left his seat, instead of downing his glass and requesting a refill from one of Winchester's servants standing at the ready. "That boy. He'll see what I've done is for the best, in time."

"Can the engagement not be put off?" Asked Sir Thatch, a Knight of exquisite taste and personal bodyguard of the Winchester Family. "Surely the boy - especially one as popular as him - is distressed at the thought of not being seen as a bachelor anymore. His nightlife is just beginning after all."

The Duke shook his head. "Sadly no. The Soli Family engages their family early, meaning if I didn't procure this opportunity then other families would have. I've heard word floating about that Junior was gunning for her, hoping to get his alcohol stained hands on the girl and the future land."

"Surprise me this doesn't me lads. After losin' to zeeh Torchwick Guild Hall, I figured Junior would try somethin' to make up zeeh lost." Commented Sterling, his strange accent becoming more pronounced the longer he drank. "Still, feel a bit sorry for zeeh lad."

Cinder finished the bit of wine left in her glass and raised it slightly, allowing it to be taken by one of the servants. This was quite big news, the heir of Newcastle and the Lily of Soli being engaged. They both more or less ruled over the agriculture of Vale, so there was no doubt this news would spread quickly. She'd have to figure out a way to exploit this new information properly before everyone else got their hands on it. "Well Henry, it's late and I must be getting back to the homestead now. I'm sure you can relate."

Winchester waved his hand dismissively. "But of course. You have a busy day tomorrow. We both do, actually." Everyone present agreed but looked like they'd stay a bit longer. Lord Huff seemed to have passed out at some point because light snoring could be heard coming from the obese nobleman. It was a shame Cinder needed to leave because when the old men became too drunk - which they often did - was when the real secrets started spilling out. However, the juiciest bit seemed to have already leaked, so no point in staying around when sleep beckoned.

Flora - who Cinder had brought with her - followed his mistress out and opened the carriage door for her. Having already been readied, the carriage began immediately and headed towards the lift station.

/-/

As expected, the lights were dimmed at the Fall homestead and no one, except Felicia who had awaited the return of her master, was up. After dismissing the two servants for the night, Cinder went and sat down on the couch in the parlor, careful not to wake the mint-haired girl sleeping there.

 _She must have been waiting for me._

Cinder looked at down at the unflattering expression her sleeping niece was making and couldn't help but smile to herself. Without thinking, she reached out a hand and ran it through the girl's soft hair. Hair that - when Ashley wasn't around - she used to brush. Despite not being too different in age, the six years might as well have been a lifetime between them. She continued to pet the girl lightly, careful not to wake her.

Granted, Emerald knew Cinder cared for her already. They'd spent too much time together for feelings of affection to not have grown. Even for the usually cold-hearted Dust specialist. However, showing it was another matter entirely. Keeping things professional was ultimately for the best, went for both Mercury and Emerald. Though sometimes it was… impossible.

"Sleep well, Mint Chip," whispered Cinder. The nickname Ashley had given the girl so long ago was a fond one, with many memories tied to it. After making sure the girl wasn't awake once more, she leaned in and kissed Emerald on the forehead. Afterward, she stood silently and walked out the room, heading towards the study to plan.

 _/-/_

"Thus, we need to add five more patrols in the eastern area of the Newcastle wheat fields."

"Understood, Port. A result of the raiders I take it?"

The old general nodded. "That it is, though this is more of an extra precaution. Some of my soldiers have come to know about quite a few outskirt villages near the mountains-"

"Faunus villages?" Interrupted Winchester. Port opened one of his eyes at the man in exasperation but relented, "It is much too early for an argument.

"Yes, it would seem they are predominantly Faunus. I might also add that they are also quite self-sufficient and these extra soldiers are nothing more than an extra precaution."

"Gentleman, please," spoke Ozpin. "Let us not be divided on our ideologies this early in the morning."

Everyone in the stuffy room all sunk lower in their seats, each agreeing with the sentiment wholeheartedly. After looking over the room, the Head Advisor began once again. "Now, is there any matters that need to be brought up before we run through the compiled financing report Advisor Peach has graciously put together with Adel and Torchwick's help."

There seemed to be a question lingering in the air, but no one was asking. Well, no one other than Sir Xiao-Long, who wasn't one to keep silent when there was something to be said. "Head Advisor, I can't help but notice our Highness is not present."

Ozpin's eyes flickered to the vacant seat beside himself for a brief second. "His Majesty has been pondering the right words to write to our allies is all and thus did not want to be bothered."

A few mixed glances were cast but no one spoke a word. Ready to get on with the meeting and more importantly, accepting the excuse as perfectly valid. Ozpin sipped his coffee. "Well if that is all, you may begin, Peach."

 _/-/_

Jaune's eyes snapped open. They snapped back closed a moment later. A migraine the likes no man had ever suffered before hitting the boy with the weight of Remnant itself. Attempting to block out the rays of sunlight coming through the window with his hand failed to relieve any of the pain. This being because a tidal wave of fatigue washed over his body about the size of an ocean, which impeded him from even moving said hands.

Just as it seemed the Prince would surely perish from the blistering light, the drapes were drawn and a cold rag was dabbed against his forehead. Jaune couldn't turn his head to see who it was, in fear the movement would kill him, but it was clear.

"V-Velvet? Where are you?"

"I'm here, your Highness."

"I… I need a-a-a cup. M-My cup." The Prince's hands began shaking, though Velvet pulled them in her own to stop the shaking. He still couldn't see his friend's face, but gained comfort from the contact all the same.

"No more caffeine for you, Jaune. Not for a while."

"B-But my happiness…"

"Takes a backseat to your well being," finished the maid, releasing Jaune's hands to dap at his forehead with the cooled rag some more. "Don't worry, we'll start winging you off it with Advisor Goodwitch's tea."

The Prince felt tears pricking at the edges of his eyes. "No… that's evil. Haven't I been good to you Velvet? Haven't I performed many works with your favor in mind?"

"Err, yes, I suppose. Though these orders aren't mine, not directly anyway. We need you healthy for the marriage after all and not whatever you were last night." Velvet continued with her work while the boy processed what he heard. After a moment of thought, Jaune realized he couldn't even recall anything that happened yesterday. Attempting to do so only worsened the headache, if that was even possible. As a matter of fact, most of the last week was missing.

"Velvet, what about the meeting today?"

"Ozpin is covering for your absence. Don't worry, your image is safe for another day, my Lord."

"My mom and sisters?" Jaune asked this with the hope they maybe wouldn't have noticed anything at all, this being despite the fact his sisters saw and heard everything somehow. This being pointed out my Velvet's response.

"What do you think, Jaune?"

The boy moaned again and placed a hand on his face, finally regaining the ability to move his limbs and limbs again. "Fuck. Anyone else?"

"Other than the obvious people, I'm fairly certain Emerald Sustrai heard at least in passing about your, hmm, let's say 'problem.' Though, you being knocked unconscious and dragged to your quarters in still confidential."

"Ah, good… wait, knocked unconscious?"

Velvet pretended like she didn't hear his question and walked away from the bed for a brief second. Jaune knew she was pretending because the girl heard everything. What she brought back to the bed made the Prince lose his train of thought. The intimidating stack of parchment paper not foreboding at all.

"As you know Jaune, Ozpin is currently heading the meeting in your behalf at the moment, but he has requested you finish the letters to the Queen of Mistral, King of Vacuo, and the King of Menagerie by today. You've already seemed to have made some headway, so I doubt it will be any problem for you to finish by today.

"Uh…"

"Great. Well, I'll be going now. I'm in charge of training a few new maids and servants for the wedding and I'm already a bit late. Also, your sisters are going to be having Emerald over again, so don't be surprised by her presence in this hallway. Everything else covered in this morning's meeting will be relayed to you by Oobleck later or at the earliest convenience." Velvet, who never seemed to forget anything, finished and waited to see if Jaune needed any further explanation.

"Is there any word on Whinity Schnee's convoy's progress?"

 _Please say it sank, please say it sank._

"Nope, none that I've heard recently. It probably hasn't even passed through the Staubig Strait yet, otherwise, I'm sure we would have heard about it."

Jaune sighed - cursing his luck - and finally found the strength to sit up on his bed and take a look at the various pages of parchment Velvet had so lovingly placed on the bed near him. Most of the stuff was written while he'd been on the caffeine high, so it was basically unintelligible nonsense except for a few lines. _Well, better get started._

"And Velvet, who will be delivering these letters? Qrow is out on leave right now with his nieces and getting to Mistral is a long trip by sea or land. Not to mention the old relay systems have been in disrepair for a while."

The Faunus smiled. "Very perceptive my Lord. To answer bluntly, I'm not entirely sure myself. I'll be sure to ask for you though, Jaune. Any further needs or questions?"

"Um, no, I suppose not. Thank you, Velvet."

"My pleasure." She curtsied and walked from the room, shutting the heavy wooden door firmly.

/-/

A convoy of 20 soldiers consisting of the most decorated warriors, two Knights of Glynda's personal use, and one Royal Sentinel stood outside of a modest cabin a few miles from Vale proper, deep into the Newcastle farmlands. Their purpose was to retrieve the most valuable asset the Kingdom currently had in its arsenal. One that if cultivated properly had always brought the Kingdom great wealth throughout the generations. Once revered by many, now only known to a few.

The Captain of the soldiers and the one in charge of this mission stepped down from his horse and sloshed into the deep mud underneath his shined and polished boots. "Tch," he muttered in distaste. It had been raining and drizzling off and on in this side of the country for weeks now. Which low and behold was excellent for crop yield, but terrible if one wanted to keep clean of dirt and grime. Before he could go and knock on the cabin door, the rickety old thing opened by itself. Captain Irvin was graced with the presence of a shirtless, dark-skinned man, who possessed white pupils and many scars which lined his body.

"Can I help you?" He asked while yawning, to which he didn't try to stifle in the least. "My friend is still sleeping so keep it quiet."

Captain Irvin wasn't impressed, but he also didn't seem surprised either. "Hello, Sir Fox. I take it Sir Yatsuhashi is here as well?"

Fox leaned against the doorframe and nodded curtly. "Yeah. But you aren't looking for him are ya? Naw, that convoy wouldn't be needed for something like that. And even then, would only be if you were anticipating a fight."

"Ever perceptive, aren't we?" Irvin dryly asked, wanting to get out of the rain as quickly as possible. "Listen here, you surely know who we've come for. Is she here right now?"

Fox sighed, his breath becoming puffs of condensation in the cool morning air. He looked at the convoy, sized up the members, and then finally looked back at Captain Irving. "Psh. Naw, she's out right now a bit farther into the fields. Look for the large tree in a clearing."

As Fox finished speaking, a shadow appeared in the mist in the direction which he had pointed. Like magic the rain became a small drizzle before stopping altogether, even the mist was blown away by her presence. When she came into view, Captain Irving quickly got down on one knee in reverence. "Lady Maiden, I apologize for coming on such short notice. You've been summoned to return to the Castle at the earliest date."

Amber twirled her staff and looked over the Captain with little interest. "But of course. Do I have the pleasure of knowing why the sudden displacement?"

"I… I am not privy to the details. Only that it is needed. Will you come with us?"

It was around this time Yatsuhashi appeared at the door, also shirtless with his curved long sword already at hand. If he'd been sleeping just a second ago, it was impossible to tell. The man's eyes were wide and alert. "What is the situation, Fox?"

"Amber's been summoned. Short notice and stuff."

The Maiden turned to her companions at the door to the cabin they'd shared, then back to the kneeling Captain. As a Maiden, she carried vast swaths of power. Not just offensively speaking, but politically as well. Despite not many knowing the Maidens are more than just a story, they still held - or could hold - as much power as a King. In the stories of old, some were known for taking the throne and being seen as Gods. At one time there was a Maiden at the head of each throne for each Kingdom. She didn't want to leave her modest dwellings with her teammates. Though it wasn't worth fighting over, especially when she could request this particular station again later.

"Yes, going with you will not be a problem. I have nothing but the clothes I wear and my staff, so we can leave right now. Just allow me to grab my colt." As she walked to the stables behind the cabin, she heard Yastu talking up the two Knights who had shown up, apparently knowing them from his training days. That brought a small smile to her face as she untied her horse - Fatum - from his post. Amber heard footsteps from behind and already, she knew leaving wouldn't be as easy as hoped.

"Hey."

Amber turned around and faced the man she'd become very close with over the last year in particular. "Hey," she replied to Fox, who still held his same expression. As he walked closer to her, she held her ground, even when he was only a few centimeters apart, so close their noses touched. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her in, their lips meeting not a moment later. Despite herself, the Fall Maiden let out an excited squeal at the move, never growing old of her friend's touch. Without thinking her arms had already wrapped themselves around Fox's neck, deepening the kiss further. The moment of passion went on for another few seconds before the Knight broke the kiss.

"Will you be able to return?" Asked Fox, his breathing labored. Amber smiled and pulled him in for a shorter, more affectionate kiss.

"Nothing would stop me from it."

He nodded and released her from his hold reluctantly before walking back to the cabin where the convoy was waiting. Amber, breath still labored, leaned against the stables for support. After regaining her composer, she untied Fatum and lead the beast around the cabin. Yatsuhashi walked over to her and gave the girl a big hug. "Come see us again."

She giggled and returned the embrace. "Of course. And don't worry, I'll say hello to Coco and Velvet for both of you."

Yatsu and Fox nodded in thanks, acting a bit more professional now that officials of the Crown were around. Amber mounted her white steed and trotted up to the other mounted riders. "I'm ready when you are, Captain Irving."

"Excellent. The quicker we get back to Beacon the better," said the Captain, climbing back onto his horse. "Move out men, I'd like us to be able to report back before the next sundown. Double speed."

Everyone began galloping off, following the path they came. Amber looked back on the two Knights which had become some of her closest friends and smiled, waving in goodbye. They waved as well one last time before heading back inside. Neither were ones for long farewells. Afterward, she looked forward and urged her horse to reach a higher speed. The convoy had made a circle of protection around her and would only move at her pace, so she'd rather not be the reason for slowing them down.

The Captain slowed his steed slightly so his horse ran beside hers. "I'd like to say once again I thank you for leaving so easily. As I'm sure you know, a few of your predecessors have been quite unruly at times."

"I'd never dream of disobeying my Lord's request."

"Yes, of course. It's… and maybe I shouldn't even suggest this. But we simply couldn't be sure if you'd have developed close enough relationship with your teammates to want to stay. They are both quite handsome specimens after all," said Irving, the last part nearly a whisper lost over the loud pounding of hooves. Amber snorted - despite how spot on he was.

"I see. I don't hear envy, do I, Captain Irving?"

The Count - though he far preferred his rank of Captain to his hereditary rank - scoffed at the very thought and pulled his deerstalker hat down. "I'm quite happy in my body, thank you very much, your Maidenship. Though, I'm sure you understand the need to be cautious."

"But of course."

Satisfied with the talk, the man road back to the front of the convoy. Amber breathed in relief at the talk being over and began to look closer at the individuals escorting her. Which, she was beginning to think we're prepared to take her by force if necessary. The ones to stand out the most were the two Knights in gray robes, with hints of canary and emerald colors in the trim. _Glynda's colors._ One had a plain looking mace hanging from the horse's saddle and the other a rather elegant ivory bow. Yet curiously, no quiver. They were surely strong but Amber doubted they'd pose a deadly threat to herself. The 20 soldiers under Irving's command would be difficult to deal with for sure. The plain looking cutlass he kept at his side might as well have been a Dust bomb in the veteran's hands. Also, his personal men's teamwork would be fearsome.

However, still, the trump card in this seemed to be absent. It was then Amber remembered the Sentinel taking up the rear. Looking back, she saw his white robes fluttering in the wind, and his short, graying hair nearly matching.

 _Sentinel Glenn…_

When the old man's silver eyes met hers, she promptly turned back around.

/-/

 _Nope, that wouldn't work either._ Jaune sighed and crumpled up the sheet of paper and tossed it into the now overflowing bin. He'd been sitting at the desk in the corner of his room now for a good few hours with nearly no progress.

"Ugh, what to do, what to do?" Jaune asked himself out loud, scratching his head in thought. Writing to the Mistral Queen just seemed awkward. Asking his mom seemed like a good plan, considering she was from their royal family. Thinking about it, he was actually cousins with Pyrrha Nikos, the famed Warrior Princess. Or Goddess as most Mistral inhabitants called her. This should be a piece of cake. Just a letter to a dear relative. Plus Pyrrha had always been sweet on him.

"Hmm. I doubt Menagerie even expects to receive a letter."

Atlas surely hated the Faunus and would be displeased if the King of what many considered the Faunus Kingdom showed up as a guest. _Well, they have to get an invitation then. Plus it will help relations probably. Mistral won't mind, so fuck it._ Jaune yawned and idly began writing out a letter to the Ghira, a man who had been rather close to his father. Jaune himself had been to Menagerie once as a child and distinctly remembered the deep cultural atmosphere, reminiscent of Mistral. _If I was a Faunus, what would I want to read? Is that racist? I'll ask Velvet. Wait, is that racist too?_

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, which was probably for the best at this point. It could literally only be a handful of people who'd even have access to this area of the Castle, so Jaune called out to come in. He was pleasantly surprised to see it was his mother who answered the door, considering he had not gotten to see her in quite a while. Much less sit down for a chat. "Hey mom, how's it going?"

The red-haired woman walked into the room softly and shut the door, sitting down on his bed. She was in a casual blue robe, a modest golden tiara, and seemingly nothing else. Clearly, she wasn't doing any public addresses or even planning on leaving her room today.

"I've been good Jaune. Or as well as I can."

Jaune put his pen down and turned his chair around so as to face her. "Okay… Well, I'm glad to see you. I could use some help." The Queen perked up at this, interest on full display in her eyes.

"Really now? Well, ask away Jauney. Mommy is always here to help."

"Er, right." Jaune coughed into hand and looked away, grabbing the sheets of paper he'd been rough drafting on. "Well you see, I have to write out invitations to the ruling family of Mistral and seeing as you are Queen Phthia's sister, I thought maybe you'd know how to proceed."

"Oh, you require help with _that._ " Indigo Arc turned her head to the side and puffed out a breath in slight exasperation, though the dignified Queen still took the sheets of paper from Jaune's hands tentatively and began looking them over. "Oh Jaune, your penmanship has gotten so good! I see all the late nights with Ozpin has been worth it."

The Prince waved off her proud mother routine, but internally he was very proud of himself for her noticing. So much so he unintentionally puffed his chest out while she read through the parchments. The Queen's expression stayed neutral until she finished with each draft. Once finished, she let out a tiny bout of chuckles before looking back at her firstborn son. "Jaune, do you remember your trip to Mistal? You were merely a baby at the time I know…"

"Um, actually I was eight," the teenager said indignantly. His mother nodded.

"Yes, just like I said, a mere baby. And you were such a timid little thing at that-"

"What's the point of this again?" Asked Jaune, growing red in the face from embarrassment. Jeez, now he remembered why he didn't make a habit of seeking out his mother. Ignoring his distress, she went back to her original thought.

"Yes of course. Well, if you do in fact remember, then you'd know my sister is treated like a god. And is expected to act like a god. Same for my niece."

Jaune did in fact remember. Or at least he believed he did. "Well sure. People treated Dad like some kind of god at times too, right?"

His mother paused at this, turning her head to the side in thought. "Maybe it might have seemed that way, for Jonathan was certainly loved and revered even by citizens of other lands. However, that still didn't cross the line of worship, or at least not at Phthia's level. And certainly not at what my father's level was."

Jaune sat back in his chair and began to understand what his mother was getting at. "Was that the reason they wore veils when they greeted us?" Jaune distinctly remembered the nearly transparent, rose-colored veil his cousin had worn. Mostly because he wouldn't stop asking her to lift it, which had led to a rather stern rebuking from his father. "They wore them to separate themselves?"

His mother shook her head calmly. "No… well, not entirely. It comes from the legend that a mortal cannot look upon the face of a god and live. Thus, they wear headdresses because if they didn't, anyone not possessing divine power would surely die upon seeing them."

The two let that settle in the air. The Queen looked a little melancholy at the memory of her homeland, placing the papers at her side before speaking again. "Well, what I believe I'm conveying is the fact you were far too casual in your tone. Show her the proper amount of respect in the next draft. But absolutely no reverence."

Jaune sat up at the last part, a hint of steel in his mother's voice which shocked him a bit. She seemed surprised herself. "I'm sorry for my tone Jaune, though I do want to make this clear since your father isn't here to do so. Never, in any circumstances, bow your head to another leader. Whether it be literally or any other way. Admitting defeat is one thing if - heaven forbid - we enter a war. Though once you forsake your own sovereignty, all is truly lost. And if you meet my sister, she _will_ try you. Hate the girl sometimes…"

Well, it gave him something to think about. _Does this mean I'm technically part god?_ "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, mom, I'm glad you came in here. Actually, I don't think you even mentioned why you came in here."

His mother stood from her spot on his bed. "Does a mother need a reason to see her son, Jaune? Especially one who hasn't bothered to even speak to his poor mother in weeks."

Jaune looked down in shame, only to be embraced by his mom a moment later. "I'm just teasing is all. I know how busy you've been, sweetie. I understand the stress of running a Kingdom more than you probably think. Why every day your father would come back to the room and I'd listen to all his woes, then relieve him of his stress-"

"Okay," the Prince said, breaking off the hug before this got even weirder. "Thanks for the talk mom. Really though, thank you. I'll try to come see you more often, promise."

She smiled and began walking to the door. "It's all I ask."

/-/

"So, what's it going to be then?"

Coco sighed and slumped her head back against the armchair of her study, lazily lifting an eye to her tormentor. The ginger-haired man had been a constant in the Adel homestead for a never-ending amount of hours, each moment getting her opinion on things and taking inventory. "I never took you for such a hard worker, Torchwick. Do you sleep?"

Roman - despite only having a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and plain black slacks - was still at the height of fashion. His normally neat hair had been allowed to grow out long, even growing out a thick beard during his neglect of personal grooming. Coco admitted his new disheveled look certainly had a rugged air to it, one that would attract plenty of female attention if he cared for it.

"For your information, I would be able to sleep if you would just do the damn work on time." He went to light up a cigar before the glare from Coco made him reconsider. "Seriously, you're the one killing _me_ doll face."

"Sorry old boy, the smell gets into the fabric. Surely you better than anyone knows this furniture didn't come cheap," said Coco with a smile, looking at the large list of colors to choose from. "We could always convene at your place you know. Oh wait, I forgot your little Dame doesn't like guests in the house. What's up with that anyway?"

Roman sighed while going over a large stack of papers in the middle of the floor. After three tables being brought in a subsequently overflowed with parchments and leather bounds, the two decided to just stack the parchments and decrees on the floor to save time. Turns out planning a Kingdom-wide wedding was a lot of work. Lucrative work, but certainly time-consuming. "She's particular is all."

"Another reason you'll never find a blushing noble bride," laughed Coco, thumbing through the pamphlet she'd been given. "You two make a good pair though. Both hated in their respective fields… So, how did the meeting with Advisor Peach go?"

"As well as it could," he mumbled, chewing on an unlit cigar while writing down a note. "We're still 700,000 lien under budget, but I was hoping to get it down to a cool 1.5 million before all is said and done. Really punctuate the point. Regardless, our fair Peach was happy."

"How about the beautification projects?" Asked the Adel head, looking up to meet his gaze. He gave her a sly smile.

"The red-light district is sparking like a regular ruby."

"A feat only you could have pulled off on such short notice I'm sure," she said in jest, though the statement had just as much truth behind it. Roman truly was the ruler of the underground market in Vale, mostly because he was one of the only nobles willing to get his hands dirty. "I'm surprised Junior cooperated so easily."

Roman waved a hand in dismissal. "It was really a simple matter of threatening to raid his brothels and black-market cellars with soldiers under the reason he was impeding progress. Every Kingdom will be represented at this shindig and we, my dear, have been given powers comparable to an Advisor to make sure those representatives are sufficiently impressed."

"I'm surprised you showed him mercy. Also, I think this shade of yellow would work the best," she said, pointing out the shade to him. He took back the pamphlet of colors, circled her choice with a marker, then laid it on another stack of papers.

"I didn't show that moron mercy to be friendly. You know as well as I do his noble blood has granted him allies whereas I've none. Attack him and there'd be eight other families to deal with. After this job, I won't be untouchable anymore."

Coco, hearing the slight disappointment in his voice, stood and walked over to his side, pretending to need something from the same stack. "Aw, is someone sad? Well, I'll have you know, being friends with my family - while not being untouchable - certainly puts you up there."

Roman snorted but couldn't hide the humor in his features. "Mhmm, I'm not sure if I should be happy to know someone who wears sunglasses indoors considers me a friend or not."

Coco elbowed him hard in the side and walked back to the armchair. "Ass," she chuckled. The banter between the two might have continued, but a page boy at the door caught the noble's attention. "Pache? What's up?"

The dark haired boy walked into the room fully. "Head Advisor Ozpin has called for Mr. Torchwick's presence in Beacon within the next two hours. A convoy is already waiting."

Torchwick raised an eyebrow, putting down a stack of papers. "I see." He looked down at his current dress and grooming, cringing at the fact he wasn't nearly as clean cut and fashionable as usual. Though, he hated to make the Head Advisor wait. "Hey Frappuccino, mind if I take a quick wash off?" Asked the man to Coco, who leveled him an incredulous look

"The fact Ozpin needs you is the only reason I'm going to let you live after that. And be my guest." Roman smirked and left the room, leaving the girl with the rest of the work to finish. A fact she was painfully aware of as she looked at the piles.

/-/

"Okay, think informal. Think informal."

Jaune struggled to come up with what to write to his ally, the Emperor of Vacuo. Emerald said to be as informal as possible, but it was harder to put into practice than expected. The Prince had never understood what it meant when other nobles would complain they never could pick the right outfit for semi-formal events. Yeah, it was a bit like that. Surely there was a sweet spot, but it was hard to find.

 _Maybe I'm over thinking it…_ Jaune looked out the window. It had been rather overcast the entire day, thus making it difficult to tell the time just by the sky alone. It hardly mattered, he supposed. Although, Jaune was fairly certain it had been 5 hours in total, and at least two since his mother had visited. Having taken her words to heart, he'd written a letter to the Queen of Mistral. It looked good, or at least he believed it to have been. _...I think I'll go for a walk._

The young Prince stood and walked to his door, pushing the heavy door open. Walking into the open air of the hallway, he suddenly felt rather naked. Velvet was usually always at his side, so it was a bit odd to not have her familiar presence close. There was, in fact, someone outside his door, a dark-skinned boy with curious blond hair, who looked a bit younger than Velvet, dressed in a male servants uniform. "Hello, your Highness. May I be of service to his Greatness?"

"Oh, um, no. I don't believe so. What's your name?"

"My name is Tatu, your Highness," he said, the utmost reverence thick in his voice. Jaune nodded, looking the teen over. He didn't notice it before, but the servant had light brown scales around the edges of his face and down his neck; scales which he seemed to show proudly, going by how low his collar was. Jaune decided he liked them.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Tatu," spoke Jaune, using his most official voice. The literal tears of awe Tatu was biting back at his presence was a bit jarring compared to what he was used to with Velvet. He smiled back nervously. "Do you know whether my sisters are in their room? I know Velvet said they would be meeting with a friend today."

"Master Scarlatina? Well, I am under the impression that, Princess Ginger and Goddess Nightingale are currently in the room at the end of the hall, along with one friend of green colored hair. Is this the information you sought?" He looked a bit nervous, worried he'd forgotten something. Jaune put him at ease.

"Thank you for the information, it was very helpful... wait, Goddess Nightingale?"

The Faunus blushed a bit and fiddled with his fingers. "She requested I call her as such. It's become a habit by now, I suppose."

 _Poor thing._ "Well, thank you for your service once again." The smallish boy shed a small tear before wiping it away quickly.

"No, thank you, my King." Jaune couldn't help but think this is what how his aunt in Mistal was treated, just more so and by everyone. As he walked to the end room of the hallway, Jaune realized he really only hung around others who he'd known since birth. If not for that, he'd probably get treatment similar to Tatu by everyone in the Kingdom. A thought for a later day. He walked up to the end door and knocked, the sounds of giggling behind the door going silent. The door opened a moment later, and Jaune was met with a strawberry blonde with light green eyes, eyes which were quickly rolled in annoyance.

"Hello Ginger," spoke Jaune, looking behind her to see Emerald, and Nightingale, sitting on the floor, bottles of wine laying scattered on the ground. A thick blush hung on each of them, along with dumb expressions. "Wha-"

"Just be cool! Hck! For once…" Muttered Ginger. As an older brother, his first instinct was to chastise them. But then again, he was just kinda tired.

"Er, can I join?"

Ginger leaned against the door frame, holding back a hiccup. She turned back to the other's behind her on the floor. "Oi, you think we should let his majesty in on this?" The girls seemed to ponder this as intensely as drunken stupors would allow. Finally, Emerald was the first one to comment.

"I say we let em. It's a... ah... what's the opposite of a sausage fest? Um, well it's too much of that in here," she stuttered out, looking at him and winking. The simple act caught him off guard, what with Emerald being a rather timid girl. Nightingale pushed the green haired girl playfully, her face more flushed than either of the others.

"H-Hey, n'ont-ils pas de clamebakes à Vacuo?"

/-/

"I-It's just so hard you know?" Cried Jaune, downing the last of his bottle of Vacuo imported Vodka. Feeling blissfully lightheaded, he turned to Emerald and pouted. The dark-skinned girl was silently applauding herself for being able to not only get information out of the tipsy princesses but also by sheer luck, roping the Prince in on this as well. With his inhibitions and guard lowered, she could easily lead him along by a string.

 _Now if I can stop seeing double, that would be great._

The group had now seated themselves around a stack of blank papers, ready to help Jaune finish his last two letters. Right now, each girl was spitballing ideas while the fair-haired heir listened and mostly drank his woes away.

"Oi, it's going... _hiccup..._ It's going to be okee dokee," muttered out Emerald, who - in her haste to get everyone else drinking - had become drunk herself. She attempted to put her hand on his shoulder, though ended up resting it on his face somehow. _Cinder would kill me._

"Yo," yelled Ginger from her spot on the bed. "I finished my draft. Check it."

Jaune nodded and stood from his spot on the floor and offered a hand to Emerald, who took it graciously. Nightingale sluggishly made her way to the bed as well from her spot at her desk, clutching a few papers in her hand. "Okay, lay out your best draft and we'll pick whose is best," spoke Ginger, clinging to a professional lit by some miracle.

Jaune, sitting precariously on the edge of the bed, cleared his throat. "As this task was given to me by Ozpin, I feel I should go first," spoke the Prince in the same official voice he used for public addresses. Emerald giggled despite herself, not sure if she was truly amused or if the alcohol had simply taken complete control.

"Dear Kamina Vasilias, as I'm sure you have already heard, I - Jaune Arc of Vale - will be marrying Princess Weiss Schnee of the Atlas Kingdom. As this monumental joining of families will without a doubt dictate the coming future of Remnant, I would be greatly overjoyed if the man my father called a great friend, would please join me in celebrating my-"

It was at this time Jaune was booed into stopping by all the girls present that were still partially awake. "Ugh, Jaune. Were you - _hiccup_ \- trying to put us to sleep?" Moaned out Nightingale yawing as if to prove her point.

"Seriously, didn't you listen to what I said about being informal," commented Emerald. "Keep it short and write with half a brain." Jaune nodded seriously at her words, clearly seeing where he went horribly wrong. If there was one thing the King of Vale hated, it was the boring and droll. "Write like you would to a close friend you didn't particularly like."

"Okay... wait, isn't that an oxymoron-"

"Next!" Shouted Ginger before clearing her voice. "Dear Emperor of Vacuo, I think you're pretty rad mah dude. Come get some at mah wedding. Your Bro, Jauney-Boy."

Jaune - despite the heavy blush - looked aghast at each word. "I can't send that to the-"

"Hey, hey, that's pretty good," commented Emerald, snickering at Ginger's words, her all-business attitude nowhere to be found at the moment. "Well, better than Jaune's at least." When the boy protested the only response he received was Emerald sticking her tongue out at him in jest. A gesture which left him with a goofy grin.

"Okay, me next. Me next!" Nightingale attempted to sit up but fell back over again, being the most intoxicated and having the lower end of the tolerance stick. "Dear Vacuo King dude, I'm having a wedding with a literal ice witch. So, while I'm being put on ice, why not warm things up with your presence? Bro's for life after all. Your friend, the J-Master."

"I think we have a winner," spoke Emerald looking to Ginger, who nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

"Oh come on!"

The girls laughed at his annoyance and continued to revise the letters, making jokes and drinking, even taking a few suggestions from Jaune seriously. After about an hour, the final product that everyone could agree on was finished. One with just the right amount of informality and seriousness that everyone looked at with approval. Emerald herself gave the thumbs up as well.

Thus meaning there was only one letter left to finish before he would finally be done for the day. "Okay, now we only have the King of Menagerie to do and we'll be done for the day," spoke Jaune in a tired, buzzed, but ready voice.

 _Huh, guess they have decided to invite Ghira after all. With Atlas coming sparks will surely fly._ "What do you intend to say?" Asked Emerald - who had managed to regain her higher level thinking despite the alcohol. Being the only person in the room with aura had its perks, as the rest were all still rather light headed. Jaune looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean? I'll just invite him to come like the others."

 _Others... implying he must have already finished his letter to Mistral before coming to the room. Shame, I'd have liked to see it._ "What I mean is how are you going to phrase it? Menagerie, while somewhat self-sufficient, is still very reliant on Vale. What I'm asking is whether or not it will be a question or a command? Be careful with the wording."

The room with silent for a few moments as the words soaked into the air. Nightingale was sailing halfway between consciousness at the moment, but the other two perked up at her words considerably. The green haired ex-thief began to think she'd said too much until Ginger spoke up. "That's a very good point… Jaune, let's be rather serious this time."

The princess straightened up took one of the pieces of paper that hadn't been written on and began scribbling out a rough draft, meanwhile, Jaune began doing the same, forcing as hard as he possibly could. Emerald looked over his shoulder and - seeing as she was the only one entirely sobered up - was a great help in the process of crafting a respectful and yet authoritative letter.

After an hour and a half of spitballing and revising, they had something that everyone considered good. More than that, downright perfect. Throughout the entire process, Emerald established herself as someone who could act as a consultant, all the while employing every tactic Ashley had bestowed upon her. Well... not _every_ tactic. As some of the more extreme moves would probably get raised eyebrows from the sisters. Not to mention they were better left for a later day.

"Well," spoke the Prince, grinning at the finished works, his drunken blush having dissipated for the most part. "I think we're finally done here. Thank you for the help ladies and for giving me a chance to relax a bit."

Ginger - who had taken to cleaning up some of the bottles - rolled her eyes at his words. "Hmm, anything to keep the Kingdom from going under I suppose… Tatu!"

The young servant from before came into the room at the call, still with same timid expression. Ginger handed him the bottles she had rounded up. "Dispose of these would you darling. And please transport your Goddess to her own room would you." The blond boy nodded in understanding, though after looking to Nightingale's snoring body on the bed, a slight blush of embarrassment crept across his face.

"Y-You want me to carry her?"

Ginger shrugged. "I don't care how you do it honestly." She then turned her attention to Jaune, leaving Tatu to his own devices. "And you are dismissed as well, dear Prince of mine. You've overstayed our girl time long enough."

Emerald nodded in agreement despite not wanting the Prince to leave yet, seeing as opportunities like this were far and few in-between. Sadly, it would seem odd if she were to side against her friend Ginger in this matter, thus she was all for shoving the boy out of the door. "It was nice seeing you Jaune," she spoke before Ginger shut the door on both boys. Afterward, she left out a huff in exasperation. "Honestly, he's going to have to get his crap together one of these days." She turned back to the green haired girl. "Anyway, do you need to be getting back to your estate soon?"

"No, I can stay a bit longer. My aunt will probably be out tonight anyway, like usual," spoke the girl, with a smile which masked how she really felt. "So, let's continue from where we left off before Jaune came in."

/-/

Velvet walked into the Royal wing of the Castle, giving a quick nod to the Royal Guard on patrol. The day had been more tiring than usual, the many servants that needed to be trained properly were all but inadequate, making an already hard job infuriating. Thinking back to the days when her own mother would talk of training younger servants, only now did she fully understand. So now with only an hour or two before dinner, Ozpin had asked her to retrieve the letters Jaune had surely finished by now and deliver them to him for mailing.

 _I hope he's gotten along without me okay._

Walking into the final hallway where Jaune resided, the girl was met with the familiar face of Tatu, Nightingale's personal servant, sitting on the floor staring at his hands with a flushed face. Velvet raised an eyebrow and walked up to the boy. "Mr. Daisy, may I ask why you are on the floor wrinkling your uniform?" Asked the girl in an authoritarian voice, causing the boy to jump to his feet in fright.

"Ah, Master Scarlatina! I-"

"Nevermind, it hardly matters. Have there been any problems while I've been gone?"

He shook his head in the negative. "No madam! I have made sure everything was taken care of in your absence. His Highness needed directions to where his sisters were and supplied those directions accurately. I then supplied the Prince, Princesses, and Honored Guest with more alcohol at their request. Then, at the demand of Princess Ginger, I diligently c-carried my Goddess bridal style to her room, as she was sleeping and could not do so herself."

Though the young boy of fourteen had made eye contact with his superior the entire time, his face had progressively become stained with a blush at the last "task." Velvet signed at his timidity and innocence. _Well, that certainly won't last around here._ "Right. Is his Highness still with his sisters?"

"No madam. He returned to his quarters but an hour ago and has not left since." Velvet nodded and finally softened her features a bit, reaching out and patting the boy on the head. Physical contact he revealed in, a stupid grin appearing on his face.

"You did well Tatu. I'm proud of you."

 _Oh, I really hope he doesn't cry- and of course he is. Poor boy._

Velvet left the boy to clean himself up and knocked on Jaune door. After not getting an answer, she simply pushed the door open and walked in. Looking around, she immediately spotted his snoring form in the bed. Yesterday's and today's events having caught up with his body, it seemed. After making sure he was breathing evenly and wasn't overheating, she walked over to his desk and found three letters sealed with the King's signet ring waiting on the desk. _It seems he was able to finish after all._

She smiled and carefully took the envelops, walking out the room and shutting the door silently. Looking around, she attempted to see if she could locate all of the hidden Guard Members in this hallway. It was a game she'd play every now and then. Right now, she could only hear the baited breathing of one in the small section of shadows in between the lights mounted on the walls. Though, there had to be more than seven at a time.

"Do you wish me to deliver those for you, Master Scarlatina?"

Her attention was brought back to Tatu, who'd gained control of his emotions for the time being. "No, that won't be necessary. Not to mention you have not the clearance to even hold these letters anyway." The last part was a subtle chastising, one he caught onto readily. She gave him a small smile before leaving, walking back down the long spiraling hallways, grateful for the fact Jaune didn't reside in the throne room at the top of the tower.

On her way to Ozpin's office, she caught glimpses of conversations between the many staff members of the Castle, a few guests, and even the casual conversations between some of the Advisor's personal Knights.

"…yea, Dragnet and Serpico were dispatched just a few days ago to retrieve her along with…"

 _Hmm, personal Knight's of Glynda's were sent outside the Kingdom's main walls. That isn't common. And a retrieval mission?_

The girl would have stayed to hear the rest of what they were saying, but that would have been less than conspicuous. Not to mention she was in a hurry. No matter. She'd visit the Royal Guard Barracks later today anyway, and there she'd more than likely hear what was going on. What with being by Jaune's side almost all hours of the day recently, her usual eavesdropping had been underutilized. Honestly, it felt like things had been moving in fast forward recently. It made Velvet wonder how things would be when the other Royal families showed up. It had been quite a while since it had happened, as delegates almost always came in the form of ambassadors, possibly related to the family or even someone like Qrow, with no relation whatsoever to the Royal family.

Although, that implies Qrow was seen as an official ambassador. More like the guy with the ability to fly so thus the de facto mail carrier/ambassador. However, that brought the question Jaune had asked her back into her mind. If not Qrow, who was going to deliver these things? Seeing as she had made it to the entrance of the meeting place the Head Advisor said he'd be, guarded by five Guard members, the answer wasn't far away. Upon seeing her, the four men and one woman moved out of the way and allowed her to open the door to the room, then closed it behind her.

Ozpin turned to the servant, standing upon her entrance to the room from his seated position at the table. "Ah, Miss Scarlatina. I take it Prince Arc finished his letters?"

"Yes, he has." She handed the envelopes over to him, though her eyes trailed to the three other people in the room, Advisor Goodwitch, Roman Torchwick, and Advisor Port. One of those guests clearly was not like the other, though, Velvet, of course, didn't question it verbally. Looking back to the gray-haired man, she cleared her throat. "Excuse me Head Advisor, I have a question on behalf of the Prince."

Ozpin didn't react to her words, instead, taking a seat again next to Glynda and Port. His silence was an invitation to continue. Everyone in the room stared at her as she began speaking. "Well, his majesty has requested to know just how these letters are going to be delivered, especially without the aid of Mr. Branwen at the moment."

The Advisor's at the table gave each other glances before Ozpin turned to her. "Take a seat Ms. Scarlatina. We were just discussing this very matter, and it would seem that our new friend Mr. Torchwick may be able to help. You may report back to his Majesty after we're done."

Velvet timidly took a seat at the table, unable to suppress the feeling of importance which swelled within her. Sitting at the table instead of standing behind it was an honor indeed, one she rarely - possibly never - had a chance to indulge in. After sitting down, Port began speaking to the red-haired noble at the other side of the table, the scene playing out like an interrogation.

"So, please tell us more about Neopolitan's semblance, Roman."

/-/

Meanwhile, at the Clockwork Guild's estate, countless servants and soldiers were going in and out at all times of the day, in the west wing of the building. The household head when Roman was gone - a Faunus named Perry - was giving out orders to the people who came to clarify matters of the wedding planning. The poor boy had been entirely overworked. Not that he minded. Certainly not with the now endless revenue flowing into the Guild Hall. In fact, there was only one person in the entire Hall that minded the extra work - despite not working much herself - and it was the personal Knight of Roman Torchwick.

She dwelled in the secluded space of the East wing, far enough from the noisy West wing to not be bothered at all by the machinations of others. Here, no one bothered the young Dame and she could do as she pleased for the most part. It was far better than staying at the training barracks like she'd use to have to do.

At the moment, she was waiting for her benefactor and only friend to return from the Adel household, sitting comfortably in Roman's armchair, pondering what to do for the time being. All the task she'd been given had been exhausted. Scare the low-level criminals into being submissive for now? Done. Spooking said criminals enough to go legitimate for a while? Done. Clearout some scum that wouldn't listen to reason? Done. Help deliver flowers? Done. Everything she needed to take care of had been finished, and without them, it was getting pretty boring.

 _Is it possible to be bored and also wish to be inert at the same time?_

It was a question many had pondered, and one which would continue to go unanswered as Roman walked into the dimly lit room and tore the girl from her thoughts. Before she could even stand and greet him, the man fell to his knees at her feet without saying a word. For her friend to do such a thing, he was surely the most desperate he'd ever been. _Okay, I like where this is going…_

"Neo, my future relies on your answer to my next question. Will you please… be the ambassador for-"

Roman was cut off by a boot hitting his face.

/-/

Ozpin leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. The inner workings of the Kingdom were an endless pit of near infinite things that could possibly go wrong. It was usually Peach who handled the public. The civilians were surely able to be swayed by any stray word here and there. And their happiness was important, not just for the economy but also because of the ever-present threat of Grimm.

However, their happiness was only second to the happiness of the nobles, who could easily cause the steady house of cards that the Kingdom stood on to fall. Then, on a level all on their own, was the military's happiness. It was why Port and Glynda received whatever they wanted. Every deal that went down had to take into account all of these levels of power and act accordingly. Not to mention everything needed to be done with international affairs in mind as well.

Ozpin looked down at the papers strewn on the table. Everyone else had long left, but the Head Advisor still looked over the papers, wondering if the right decisions had been made. His promises to Torchwick, someone who didn't even hail from noble blood were a little extreme. Not unheard of, but extreme nonetheless. However, it was over and the consequences would come as they would.

Although, Qrow would surely be happy…

The thought made the gray-haired man chuckle a bit. Now the only thing to do would be to have the Prince sign off on all of this, which he surely would. Soon the boy would be doing most of these things himself. _Such a scary thought indeed._ Ozpin really couldn't wait till the wedding blew over. Though there was always something new. It never ended. Ever.

* * *

 **A/N:** Done. Ultimately decided to combine a bit of the next two chapters into this one while removing other things. If you couldn't tell by the title, this is the first chapter of a mini-Arc before the wedding. I hope you'll find it enjoyable. Also lots of character progression in this chapter and first introductions as well. Hope you enjoyed.


	7. Letters and Limerence Part 2

_Chapter 7:_ Letters and Limerence Part 2

 _Beta_ : Shad0wReaper133

* * *

"... and so, it's safe to say we'll be finished with all preparations well under the projected amount. Or so the numbers are telling me." Jaune spoke through a yawn, looking over the parchments before him. The others at the table were just as tired and uninvested as always. Financial reports, especially good ones, weren't nearly as stimulating as the caffeine brewed within their drinks.

"Anyone have anything to say about this before we move on?"

Of course, no-one did. The only time anyone piped up was when something was wrong. If Vale became a utopia today, Jaune figured half of the room would take vows of silence or simply become mute. The Prince scanned the room before moving on. "Cinder Fall."

That snapped quite a few the members out of the morning's mental fog. Cinder perked up and turned to face him. Despite clearly being taken off guard, she still managed to activate her secret technique: confident smile. A less powered version of her confident smirk.

"Yes, your Highness?"

"Torchwick tells me you've not gotten back to him on the matter of the Dust Fireworks presentation. It takes quite a while to ship Dust across continents, so a list of the needed types will be needed sooner rather than later as I'm sure you're aware."

"Has he now? Well, I'll make sure he receives a list by the end of the week."

"Very good," spoke Jaune, checking that topic off the list. Had it been a lesser Advisor or perhaps not so early in the day someone might have made a snide remark on punctuality. Probably better off this way. The Prince moved onto the next item of interest. "Port, can you confirm that your men have learned the marching routine?"

" I can, your Highness. My men are prepared to march in time on into the night if necessary," assured the Head of Military with a confident nod. That was good enough for Jaune. Not to mention Velvet, who frequented near the barracks, could confirm Port had been running his men raw.

"Excellent. Xiao-Long, have you decided on the Tournament participants and materials needed?" It was customary when the Kingdoms of the land gathered a Tournament to be held if for no other reason than to show off. Possibly even remind everyone gathered why a war was a bad idea. Tai had been a great champion of such events in his day and thus, was a perfect pick to organize the one that would be held during the reception.

"For the most part my lord. I've already given my list of materials to Torchwick who assured it was within budget. A few of the noteworthy fighters in our Kingdom have declined to participate, however. We still have a strong roster as it is though." He added that last touch with a bit of haste. _Hmm, that's something I'll return to later. Right now it's not very important._

Though before he could, the near-comatose mood became alive with the self-assured voice of Winchester. "I wouldn't worry much about it your Highness. With Thatch in the Tournament, Vale can't lose."

Jaune didn't dispute the claim. Not just because he didn't have the energy but also because Thatch, Winchester's retainer, was quite strong. Most personal retainers were, though. They were something the majority of the nobles and even Advisors took with pride, which of course meant his comment got a rise out of a few present.

"Yes. I'm sure mighty Sir Thatch will save us. Mighty Sir Thatch who couldn't even beat a still wet behind the ears little girl in mock battle," teased Port, chuckling so badly he couldn't take another sip of his coffee. Winchester's expression of good cheer quickly fled and was replaced with a fierce look of hatred. Before he could lash out in response, more voices piped up.

"Quite, Winchester. Best leave your retainer to what he does best. Posturing. My retainer will surely steal the glory." Spoke Count Theo from across the table, stroking his thin sideburns. "Why, I bet your fair friend Ms. Fall could whip Thatch in combat!"

Laughter rang out from of a good portion of those present. It was all the funnier because the jab was probably true. None were ignorant of how Vacuo picked its nobles. Jaune would have indulged in the tomfoolery but he felt doing so might undermine his air of authority. Ozpin, Glynda, and Oobleck didn't change in expression either, simply waiting for everyone to regain their senses.

"Please, don't laugh at Henry. His only crime was possessing pride in his own retainer. Which is hardly a crime at all," spoke Cinder with a voice smooth as Mistral silk. She placed a hand on Winchester's shoulder as well, a gesture which drained the anger from his face so quickly Jaune thought it could be a semblance. "As for me defeating a Valean Knight in combat, no comment."

Her words seemed to put the group at ease once again, leaving Jaune to pick up where he left off. "Okay, then, onto the next order of business. Port, any problems with bandits or raiders as of recently?"

"There are always bandits lying in wait, your Highness. However, we've had no problem with caravans. Nor have we heard any word of pirates near the coast after the last campaign to destroy them. I'd say it's greatly due to our military might!"

"That's comforting to hear. Very comforting. I want to hear of even the slightest disturbance. Not even a head of grain can be stolen. If need be we can add a few more garrisons of troops. I know the main road is relatively safe, yet I still fear for the other routes," spoke Jaune, almost absent-mindedly. There was just so much to check on.

"But of course."

Jaune continued to shuffle papers around, that being the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Well, and the occasional sounds of slurping. "Okay… Oobleck, any word on the potential iron ore mines in the mountains? I believe there was word a few surveyors under you had returned finally."

"This is correct, your Highness! Upon returning the surveyors versed me in all they'd detected within the mountain range."

"What was the consensus?" Jaune asked, despite Velvet already having given him the general scope of what was discovered. That girl was invaluable. So were those future mines.

"Well, if I may speak freely, those hills are full of isotope 197 of element 79, that being a near unreactive metal which is currently considered the heaviest monoisotopic element, as the saying goes," spoke Oobleck in a rush, leaving the room in a befuddled silence.

"So… the hills are full of gold?" Jaune asked with a smile. Oobleck chuckled and palmed his coffee mug.

"Yes, your Highness, those hills are full of gold... or at least the areas explored were. And full of iron, as well."

After having finally realized what the Advisor was getting at, the room exploded in bids on which family would get the rights to mine, despite not even knowing which mountain the Advisor was referring to or even if it was in their respective territories. Whoever got the rights would become very rich, or rather richer than everyone in this room already was.

As usual, Jaune waited for the men to tire themselves out, however, unlike in past cases, this didn't occur quickly. In fact, they only intensified in aggression and indignation. Only those who were not Valean landowners by blood or simply had no men to work those mines in the first place stayed silent, like Cinder Fall and a few others. It was after two minutes of continuous fighting the Prince gave Glynda a look, to which she nodded and withdrew her crop.

"Enough!" The dust mage yelled, slamming her riding crop on the table, releasing a small burst of telekinesis into the air. It was hardly even a taste of the warrior's power, but it was still enough to shake the unprepared nobles into silence. Jaune _had_ been prepared and it still caused him to grit his teeth. A few looked genuinely scared, some simply shaken. Although all of them were finally looking towards the head of the table again.

"Thank you, Glynda. The fact that was necessary is highly disappointing, however. To put the conversation to rest, the matter of the gold will be decided _after_ the wedding. Anyone who brings it up to me will automatically be considered as unfit. Do I make myself clear?"

Once again, resounding silence. "Perfecto. Next order of business…renovations on Beacon Castle." Jaune trailed off and began looking through the piece of paper in his hand, confused. "There are renovations to the interior hallways, throne room, and… _ehem_ , my bedroom. Being overseen by the Adel family craftsmen."

A few chuckles flared up at the mention of his bedroom, knowing full well what that detail meant. Jaune sighed and moved on, avoiding the gaze of his Aunt. "Okay, last order of business before we can adjourn this meeting." Thankfully everyone looked eager to leave. Hopefully, it would mean they wouldn't make too much of a fuss. Not likely. _Sigh... here it comes._

"After a review of his current and past achievements in this Kingdom and abroad, Roman Torchwick of Wymondham has been nominated by the Crown to the status of Treasurer/Advisor of Commerce. A role Oobleck has been filling in for while a proper candidate could be chosen. Along with this announcement, Dame Neopolitan of Norfolk has been appointed as an official Valean Ambassador and Messenger. The ceremony for this will be held later today in the Throne Room. Well, it seems that was the final point on the agenda for today. If there are no questions we can lea-"

The small room exploded with questions, concerns, and outright rage in some cases. Jaune groaned and sipped at his lime water, wishing once again for the sweet embrace of the deadly coffee mix. When Ozpin had told him about this, he'd known the response would be quite adverse. Many in this very room, those who lacked the rank of Advisor, had been gunning for that very open position. Others had entreated him to give it to their close friends. Everyone, however, except those closest to Jaune and Cinder who were above such conversations, had concerns about the fact that Torchwick had not a single drop of noble blood in his veins.

"Not just an upstart peasant, but from Wymondham no less! Bah!" Shouted one nobleman in the back.

"And that Dame of his is worst of all. A girl from Norfolk of all the godforsaken places representing Vale?! Why I'd rather die!" Proclaimed another. Jaune looked over at Ozpin, looking for a sign at what to do. It proved fruitless, as the Head Advisor was drinking his coffee and humming as if nothing bad was happening or had ever happened here or in Remnant. The Prince opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Then I'd suggest dying." Peach deadpanned.

The complaining and lamenting were choked out as Jaune's Aunt continued. "If all you lot can do is whine without waiting for an explanation then please keel over or leave. Your Highness, please continue." After no-one said anything in response, Jaune cleared his throat and kept talking. _Thank you, Auntie._

"Well, it would seem some explanation is in order. Everyone here has had a front-row seat to all of Torchwick's feats in managing lien for the Kingdom in the past few weeks. Though this is nothing uncommon, as his Clockwork Guild has always clocked in the lowest rates of debt among the other Halls, that being an always positive net rate even within times of hardship. His skills in management would go a great length to bettering the Kingdom's place in Remnant's economy. Something I'd love to point out benefits everyone in this room. As for Neopolitan, she's easily one of the greatest physical fighters ever recorded in our history despite her relatively young age. And we've recently have become aware of the fact she possesses an incredible travel based semblance. With Neopolitan and Qrow, messages should reach their destination twice if not three times as quickly." _Though it would seem every messenger we have is either horribly anti-social or a drunkard._ "Now, are there any other complaints that aren't related to Roman's bloodline and or place of birth. Any complaints about Neopolitan with the same stipulation?"

No-one spoke up. Some looked as if they'd like to but couldn't seem to get a grasp on their thoughts. Fine by Jaune. "Delightful, it seems we can carry on. That was, in fact, the final order of business, so if no-one in attendance has anything else to discuss, I'd say we're finished for this morning."

Unexpectedly, it was Glynda who cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to herself. "I'd simply like to mention that before I can get together a proper security detail, I'll need the finished plans from Torchwick for each event. Please relay that information for me, Advisor Peach."

Jaune's relative nodded and scribbled something down on a piece of parchment. After waiting another few seconds and no-one spoke up, Jaune stood up from his seat. "Assembly dismissed." Everyone else stood as well and began filling out of the room eventually leaving the Prince and Ozpin alone.

"Well, that didn't go as badly as I assumed it would," Jaune commented after he was sure everyone was gone. Ozpin smiled and finally stood up.

"Give it time. For now, however, well done. I must say, your commanding presence has become quite remarkable. You've become a King in everything but name as of late."

Jaune picked up all the different pieces of papers strewn about and began heading out into the hallway. "It's a difficult task not to become the thing everyone expects of you. To be anything other than a King would require courage I don't have and probably never will."

"Quite the observation." Ozpin followed Jaune out into the hallway, leaning heavily on his cane. The older man's gaze seemed to be drawn to something unseen for a moment before returning to normal. "Well your Highness, I'll be seeing you later today. Correct?"

"Yes. Until then."

Jaune watched his mentor go, letting out a small sigh. There was so much to do. So very much. Despite the short notice he'd manage to write out a proper adoubement for when he appointed Neopolitan to a Messenger of the Kingdom. While it was true a large portion of being one was having a convenient travel based semblance, it was more an acknowledgment of great skill as well. A messenger needed to be able to fight off any manner of Grimm or human, as certain letters simply couldn't be allowed to fall into enemy hands. Not to mention be trusted at the highest level. She'd be the youngest ever. The previous record holder being the former Dame, Raven Branwen.

His thoughts then drifted to Roman Torchwick, who, after this wedding was fully planned and finished, would be joining the daily meetings. The man was smart, ambitious, and most importantly loyal to the Crown. Well, in a roundabout way. _I need to converse with him as well at some point._

"Jaune, are you okay?"

The Prince snapped out of his stupor, turning around to see Velvet. Her concern brought a smile to his face. "No. Just thinking."

His servant squinted her eyes at him and after sensing no deceit she smiled along with him. "Well good. I'll need you in a good mood because four representatives of Newcastle including the Duke himself have shown up looking for a conference with you about taxes."

 _Yay!_ "Doesn't Peach usually handle this sort of thing?" Jaune asked, already making a quick pace following Velvet to where the nobles were. If it was any other family, he'd possibly put this off but not Newcastle. Not when he needed their support greatly at the moment. The bastards knew it too.

"Yes, she does. But Advisor Peach is quite busy with Torchwick at the moment. Not to mention I made you aware of this meeting already."

 _Probably when I was hallucinating off my ass._ "Well, let's not keep them waiting then."

/-/

Cinder, on the way to her homestead, counted her blessings and good investments one by one as she walked. The main thing to be thankful for today was her friendship with Torchwick, who would soon become quite the powerful ally. Not to mention a popular one. If she played her cards right, the Dust Advisor could play in both the Winchester crowd _and_ whatever future acquaintances Roman would soon have. And Cinder had never lost a game of cards before. Well, she _had_ , but every time was on purpose.

 _I'll have to set up a dinner with him at some point. Peach as well._

Though thoughts of alliances would be left to the back burner for awhile, as she'd actually have to do her job for the first time in months. Cinder wasn't so proud as to not realize what a godsend Mercury was in freeing up her schedule. The boy might as well have lived in the basement for as long as he experimented with different Dust formulas and theories. Not even mentioning his mechanical mind. However, the Prince needed formulas and exact numbers soon, so she'd dirty her hands with the gray-haired boy for the rest of the morning and afternoon until those boxes were ticked. Possibly even the next day as well.

It was a pleasant surprise that there were no marauding bands of impoverished nobles skirmishing around for favors or alliances. It was still too early in the morning for that it seemed. Or maybe they'd been shooed away. As Cinder walked up to her gated area, she spotted Flora in the garden, taking care of the shrubbery and flowers. Upon seeing her, the servant raced to the fence and allowed the women inside with a relaxed smile.

"A pleasure to see you again so soon, Mistress. I take it the meeting ended sooner than expected," he spoke, locking the gate behind her and moving to open the front door. She didn't respond until after entering the house and breathing in the smell of home.

"Yes, Flora. If you'd be so kind, go rouse Mercury from his slumber and tell him I'll be joining him in the lab today." The servant nodded and rushed off to enact the order. While that happened, Cinder walked up the stairs to her bedroom to find a proper change of clothes. It would not do to ruin a perfectly good dress while working. After searching for something appropriate, she finally settled on a slightly too large t-shirt and a pair of dark colored pants. Dreadful, but functional.

She left the bedroom to head down to the basement but nearly ran into the only green haired girl in the house. Emerald jumped back and would have bumped into the banister if Cinder didn't reach out and grasp her forearm. "Careful."

"Ah...I didn't expect to see you, Cinder. Good morning." Cinder felt a tremor go through the girl before releasing her. The Advisor's niece looked a bit nervous, though Cinder couldn't imagine the reason other than being taken off guard.

"Bonjour, Emerald. Have you slept well?"

"Yes, madam."

How wonderfully formal. _Sigh._ "I see. I'll be home for the rest of the day helping Mercury with the Dust fireworks for the wedding. I trust you'll be spending your time wisely as well."

The girl nodded in the affirmative and looked like she wanted to say more but hesitated. _I truly hope you aren't this obvious to everyone._ "Good, I'll be working with Mercury for the foreseeable hours, so you'll know where to find me if need be."

"I see. Do you need me for anything before I go…?"

"No, that's all. What is on your agenda today?" Cinder asked as an afterthought. Unlike Mercury, she was quite a bit more confident in Emerald's decision-making skills and thus was not explicitly aware of where the girl went each day. Not to mention, Cinder was often away so monitoring everything would be impossible anyway.

"Oh. Well, I was invited to tea by Queen Iris with a few other ladies of influential families. Along with Lavender Arc as well. The other girls are being tutored today so I won't get to speak with them. As for Jaune, he's far too busy to see today."

Impressive. Very impressive. It seemed Emerald had been embedding herself into the inner workings of the Kingdom as well. Why Mercury couldn't be this socially able was beyond her. The two were basically siblings. "Well, remember your mother's training and keep your senses."

Emerald nodded again and waited, barely noticeable nervousness present in her features. _Sigh. You really are too obvious, Mint Chip._ Cinder lifted her hand and rested it on top of the younger girls head in a gentle caress. "I'm proud of you, little one."

The look of shock from the girl was near startling. " _Tata_ …" whispered Emerald in a watery voice, falling back on her native language. Thank goodness she didn't allow any tears to fall, quickly wiping away anything resembling moisture. Though, Cinder noted Emerald didn't attempt to speak again. What she _did_ do, however, was nearly tackle Cinder in a desperate hug. One that Cinder reluctantly and awkwardly returned.

"Okay, okay, no tears." Emerald cried harder. _Right._ "Now Emerald, I really must be getting to Mercury. I'd rather start early and end early." All of her words went unnoticed, unfortunately. Realizing this would just have to run its course, Cinder tightened her embrace and simply enjoyed the brief and rare affection.

/-/

"I won't put up with it, I swear I will not take this!" Shouted a disgruntled sixteen-year-old, much to the trepidation of the servant girl in his room. "Father has crossed me to an extent I didn't imagine possible and I say now I will not allow it!"

"Master Blu, please calm down. Your father only-"

Berry Newcastle gave his faithful servant a look that was a stirred solution of exasperation, frustration, and rage. The expression alone caused the young Faunus girl to go silent and move her gaze to the floor. She shook like a scared rabbit until gentle arms enveloped her. Berry pulled his servant close to him until the girl was calm again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. But it upsets me you'd side with my father despite what he's done to me... to _us._ " The servant girl shivered in his arms again, though for a different reason this time. "I thought we'd be able to keep this relationship a secret for much longer, I didn't think this would be an _issue_ for a while."

"Y-Your father has been very good to me and my family. This is why I felt the need to defend him," whispered the servant as she snuggled deeper into Blu's embrace. The two lovers stayed like this until they both calmed down. Finally, they broke the hug and sat on the bed together, still holding hands, however.

"My father has done little more than simply treating you like a human being," spoke Berry, a hint of malice in his words. "Though the fact that is a rare occurrence in this damned Kingdom is appalling."

The servant sighed and pressed her lips to Berry's for a small kiss. "Listen Blu, I'm upset as well, but this marriage changes little between us. We were lovers in secret and we'll remain lovers in secret. I was always aware this day would come anyway."

The heir was silent for while. His thoughts indiscernible to even his servant, who could usually see through him perfectly. Berry chuckled a bit and shook his head. "Amazing. I'm just like all those who I have despised. The vast majority of nobleman I have met use their servants for sexual relief in secret as if it's okay. The Faunus women of this Kingdom have no honor."

"But Blu," spoke the servant, "You never forced yourself on me. Nor did you use me for sexual relief. We have loved each other long before anything became physical."

"And yet the results are seemingly the same. I'm not ashamed of you and yet it shall appear as if I am. You are my best friend and yet others will continue to see you as an expendable servant. Eventually, the two of us shall only be able to meet up infrequently, which is then when our relationship will become purely physical." Berry grit is teeth, feeling tears pricking at his eyes just from the thought of it. However, speaking it out loud seemed to make the future events seem inevitable, set in stone. _No, I am different from the others. I shall do something outrageous._ Berry stood from his bed abruptly and turned around bending down on one knee in front of the pale girl who'd won his heart.

"B-Blu?!"

"Palla Lepus, will you do me the great pleasure… no, the absolute _honor_ of becoming my wife."

"B-Bl-Blu…" whispered Palla, her voice becoming watery and face flushing a bright red. "H-How… w-why…" When she looked at her master's earnest expression, she choked back the sobs to give him a proper answer. "Yes! Yes more than anything!"

The excited girl leaped off the bed and into Berry's awaiting arms, causing them both to fall to the ground in a giggling, gleeful heap on the floor. They also wasted no time whatsoever placing hurried and impassioned kisses on each other. It wasn't until it started to become very heated that Berry pulled away to say more, much to Palla's irritation. "Oh Blu, what is it now?"

"Heh, I know I've been selfish up until now, but I have one final selfish request," began Berry, breathing heavily.

"Anything for you."

"Will you run away with me?"

/-/

Jaune remembered a time when he used to kill time before certain events. Nowadays, however, it seemed time was dead on arrival. After every task, there was a new task to attend to. If there wasn't a new task, then time was allocated to _thinking_ about possible things needing to happen. Take now for example. He was still currently in a meeting, however, he was already thinking about what he'd say at Neopolitan's promotional ceremony to Messenger. Needless to say, the meeting only was getting two-thirds of his focus.

"I must say, Newcastle, you've made a very convincing argument for the Crown to grant you control of the recently converted marsh area, however, I'm sure you understand this decision can't be made at this exact moment. Junior, the Soli family, the Adel family, and quite a few others are propositioning for this land as well."

"I understand quite well, your Highness. However, I feel the time to ask is now. Since my current deeds to help this Kingdom are still fresh in your memory," spoke Newcastle, chuckling a bit to himself. Jaune wanted to shoot him from across the large marble table. Velvet tapped the Prince on the shoulder before he could get too heated from the exchange.

"Your Highness," she spoke softly, in the formal manner she used when in public. "It's nearly time for the ceremony."

Jaune nodded and stood. "Well Newcastle, I'm afraid we'll have to have this conversation later. My presence is needed elsewhere."

The three Newcastle's, including the head of the family himself, groaned but relented. "I see. Well, do consider our words in the coming days. Would tomorrow be appropriate for another appointment?"

 _Nope fellas, I'm booked up for the next three years!_

"Let's try for next week at a similar time," Jaune responded instead. "Now I really must be going." With that, Jaune left the room without even giving a formal send-off. They had tested his patience quite a bit this time around. _No time to think of that now. Okay, put on your speech face._

As he and Velvet walked to where the official ceremony was to be held, another servant appeared seemingly from thin air and handed Velvet a bundle of thick cloth, bowed, and left. Velvet turned to Jaune, "Okay, turn around. I'm going to help you put this on."

"What? Why."

The bunny Faunus looked genuinely exasperated at his confusion. "Jaune, you can't just show up in your normal robes. These are the ceremonial ones for Knighting someone. Or in this case, elevating someone's position above Knighthood. Don't you remember?"

 _Oh yeah._

"Now hurry up and disrobe and I'll get you fitted. We don't have time to return to your quarters," spoke Velvet extremely nonplussed about the entire situation, already grabbing at his clothing.

"Velvet, what the hell?! We're in a hallway, people might see us!" Velvet rolled her eyes at his complaints but stopped her ministrations for a moment.

"Jaune, this hallway is not one that visitors or anyone without clearance can come and go by without permission. All the Advisors who might have clearance are at their personal homesteads at the moment, except for Glynda, Ozpin, and Peach, who have all seen you naked before and don't care. Now hurry up, I won't have you being late." She began taking off his over-shirt and this time he didn't complain much. Jaune didn't care if Velvet saw him undressed, as it was hardly the worst thing she'd seen him do.

"Wait, what about them?" He asked, nodding his head towards the Royal Guards watching him from the wall. The three men kept a focused eye on the floor, seemingly not aware he existed. Velvet clicked her tongue as she continued dressing him.

"Jaune, they see you do everything. Considering it's usually the same people on patrol concerning your safety, I'd reckon they have seen you have sex before. Now stop acting like a princess and help me get you out of your pants."

"What, do princesses get to have dignity and shame then?"

"That's correct. To look upon any part of their exposed flesh with a feeling of passion is a sin. Thus I'd _never_ undress one of your sisters in a hallway. Unless they asked of course," spoke Velvet, nearly done helping Jaune with the heavy purple robes. The Prince blushed a little at the thought.

"In what circumstances would that even occur?" Asked Jaune, despite not really wanting to know the answer. Velvet chuckled and supplied him some hypothetical's.

"Well gosh, their clothes might have caught on fire... or maybe the fabric is far too itchy for their sensitive skin... maybe one of them developed a thing for me-"

"That's enough, thank you Velvet," interrupted Jaune before his thoughts could be corrupted by that image. The final clasp was put in place on the ornate outfit. Quite the Royal look. His servant seemed pleased with her work.

"Excellent and we still have time to spare. Make haste, Jaune," spoke Velvet in a stern voice, getting him to move swiftly again. Or at least as swiftly as one can when wearing a few pounds of heavy clothing. After another two minutes, they were finally outside the door to the Throne Room. A room Jaune barely ever visited or had a reason to visit. Plus it reminded him far too much of his father.

 _Well, let's get this over with._

/-/

As Neo waited for the Prince to arrive at the Throne Room, she had time to collect her thoughts for a moment. It wasn't the first time she'd been in this room, but it was still quite a spectacle to see. The ceiling was very high and filled with murals of battles, walls were decorated with gold and silver trimming, and mounted on the walls were the weapons of famous Kings and celebrated warriors. A collection that included Jonathan's mighty spear, Astrapios, a weapon which had been wielded by two other Kings prior. However, his blade was not present.

Considering many Messengers of the Valean Kingdom had been the most notable in the Kingdom's history, it only made sense a good portion of the weapons on the wall were also by Messengers of the past. There was a decent chance Sir Branwen's Harbinger would be added one day. Odd to think her weapon, Docile Paroxysm, might be added one day as well.

Just before her mind could wander farther a commotion behind the doors at the front was heard. _It's time._ Neo looked over to Roman for a moment. He winked and mouthed _"you got this."_ Sometimes she had no idea why she associated with him.

When the Prince and Velvet walked into the room, everyone turned to the door. Neo immediately fell to one knee. She may not have not have been particularly keen on responsibility, or her superiors, or people, but being a Dame had given her at least some bit of reverence for the Royalty. Not to mention, it had not been King Jonathan to Knight her, but rather Jaune himself. She was the first and currently the only person to have been Knighted by him. So she felt a deal closer to him than just obligation.

 _If only Roman wasn't here to see me now. If he mentions this I'll cut his tongue out._

Neo kept her head down in respect, waiting for his signal. As she waited, Neo was greatly aware of the people in the room. Glynda Goodwitch, Head Advisor Ozpin, Roman, and a few of her Knightly peers. She heard a few hushed whispers and shuffling of feet.

"Raise your head, Neopolitan of Norfolk," spoke Prince Jaune Arc. She followed the command instantly, looking up to see her Majesty staring down at her. He smiled at her, a sword in hand and a crown on his head. She almost swore the bastard winked too. Neo ignored the nervous pit in her stomach.

"It's good to see you again, Neo. Sorry, there aren't as many people here as there should be, but we are on a tight schedule recently." Jaune apologized, raising the glimmering ornate, ceremonial sword. The thought he would apologize to her for anything was amazing, considering where she'd started in life. Funny how things worked out.

Jaune cleared his throat as a signal he'd begin his ceremonial accolade. Everything went silent in the room as if the room were transported to a vacuum. "As of now, thou shan't be governed by desire nor personal advantage nor loved one. For thy will is that of the King and thy actions are by his right hand. Should enemy come against thine person with malicious intent, let it be an attempt on his Highness' life in turn. May God have mercy on the soul of that malicious foe. Move with the haste of the fleeing stag and the speed of speech itself, for thou is my Word."

Neo felt the flat of his blade rest on her right shoulder, left shoulder, and finally at the crown of her head before being removed altogether. " _Surge rex magnus nuntius._ "

The Dame, no, the Messenger stood up and looked her Sovereign deep into the eyes. Jaune reached out with his left hand and touched her right cheek before leaning in and kissing her left cheek tenderly. Him being more than a head taller than her made the move a bit awkward but not much. As soon as the kiss ended, the room filled with clapping. Ozpin walked up to the two of them holding a rich green piece of cloth with the Valean insignia. This one also had twin wings added to the insignia which represented the rank of Messenger.

The Head Advisor handed her the garb, which she accepted graciously. "Congratulations, young lady."

Neo bowed to her senior, wishing so greatly that she could speak of the gratefulness she felt. _Despite this being more work…_

"Once again, I promise we'll have a proper ceremony and dinner after it isn't so busy around here," spoke Jaune, who looked genuinely sorry about the rush. She motioned with her hand that it was fine. "Even still, you are now my voice, and it wouldn't do well to skim on such things."

"Speaking of 'the rush,'" spoke Ozpin, retrieving three letters from his jacket. "These must be delivered to their respective Kingdoms immediately," he spoke, handing the royal insignia sealed silver envelopes. The Head Advisor then waved his hand and summoned a servant to come forward, carrying three long cylindrical containers, each with straps for convenient carrying. "And these shall help you find the locations, I presume."

She nodded.

"Excellent. Say your farewells to your friend and please make haste. We all expect great things from you," finished Ozpin, who then began to make his way towards the exit, followed by Glynda. The Prince stayed but took a step back as Roman walked up, sporting a smile that belonged to a snake that overdosed on botox.

"Don't take too long, we have work to do, you know."

It was the closest to 'good luck' she'd get from him. She sighed and gave him the thumbs up. Or at least it was what everyone else would think. To the two friends, it was their inside joke for 'up yours.' Afterward, she too headed toward the exit, a smile coming to her face at the sounds of Jaune and Roman speaking together.

 _We've arrived._

/-/

On days when it would rain in the camp or when Adam was being finicky in bed, Blake would wonder why she hadn't returned home yet. On days where both happened on the same day, she'd occasionally start packing her belongings only to stop and unpack, despite not believing in anything anymore. It wasn't like she couldn't return home. It wasn't like any of them in the camp couldn't return home. They'd left vowing to change things for Faunus by force. Her father, thinking them children just needed to blow off steam, allowed it as well.

 _He probably thought a few weeks in the wilderness would take the piss out of us._ And was he wrong? Everyone was more or less miserable most days, especially when moisture drowned out the bonfires and Grimm nibbled on somebody. As a joke, someone even put up a chart titled "Days without Grimm Attack." The record was 11 days. No-one had died yet, however, so that was a plus. Just mauled pretty good before help arrived. Adam had even got attacked by a wild mountain panther when collecting wood. One of the few funny moments.

To get her mind off the day and the future, Blake decided to run Gambol Shroud's blade over a whetstone. The white noise of metal sharpening was far more stimulating to her than the pattering of rain on the tent. In fact, she'd been doing this practice so often that the blade's edge surpassed razors in sharpness. Her boyfriend saw this as a sign she was dedicated and ready to fight. This was because Adam didn't understand women, was the reasoning Blake had concluded on.

 _Gosh, I haven't been able to have freshly caught fish in so long. I swear to god if the hunting party brings back wild boar again I'll go on a mass murder._

Speaking of murder, Blake's thought went back to meeting a few weeks ago where Tyrian had outlined the assassination plot. The details were complex and she'd gotten partially lost by the middle of his explanation. That was in part due to the fact it all seemed too crazy to possibly be real. Kill royalty? In the castle itself no less? It didn't seem remotely realistic. And yet, here they were, a guerrilla group slumming it in the woods planning to do something most Kingdoms wouldn't try.

For the first time since leaving home as well, Blake felt like she had a serious moral quandary. Killing Jaune Arc didn't seem right… Adam claimed that Jaune and by extension the Arc bloodline was going to turn on the Faunus as a people as evidenced by his marriage to Weiss Schnee of Atlas. However, by all accounts, Jaune and his predecessors had only tried to help the Faunus… though, she was slightly nervous to voice such concerns to Adam, as he clearly believed in this course of action wholeheartedly.

 _Though if I cut him off in the bedroom entirely that'd probably get his attention…_

"Rubbing out your frustration again?" Asked a soft voice. Blake jerked her head up and looked at the tent flap to see Ilia. Her best friend at the moment. The smaller women stepped inside fully and sat down next to Blake close enough so that their shoulders were touching. _I mean, I guess it is cold._

"That wasn't a funny joke... though I guess you could say that. Ad-"

"Let me guess, Adam is being a fuckwad again?" Ilia guessed, a hint of steel underneath the words. It was a little unexpected, though Blake felt like venting, so the anger was appreciated.

"Yeah, that basically sums it up. You know, I usually put up with his bullshit but nowadays I just don't know anymore. His attitude, this new plan… I feel like giving up on him." Blake expected Ilia to take her side, the chameleon always did. Though her female friend took it to the next level.

"You're right Blake. You're _soooooo_ right. You should have dumped his sorry butt ages ago. He always calls you Princess but never treats you with the respect you deserve. All men are like that really. Possessive, buffoons, and liars. Thank god for girls right?" Ranted Ilia, who continuously inched closer, her skin also becoming tinted red.

"Yea- wait what?"

"You know what, you should get back at him! And then we can go back to Menagerie... together," continued Blake's friend, however, at the last part, Ilia seemed a great deal timider. Against her better judgment, Blake egged her friend on.

"Okay then... and how exactly should I get back at him? I'd think leaving for home would be enough." Ilia's grin widened to the point of concern.

"Well, I say you break up with him in front of the whole camp. It'd be super emasculating for him. Then you could find someone better and rub it in his stupid face!"

 _That actually wasn't such a bad idea, except for that last part. I don't particularly like anyone else-_

Ilia cut her thoughts short. "Or you don't have to find someone else so quickly…We could just leave together and head back to Menagerie if there is no-one here you care for like that." Once again, the girl took on a weird tone when she mentioned the word 'together.' Maybe it was nothing, maybe it was, but Blake had a feeling she knew where this road was going.

"Listen, Ilia-"

Blake placed her hand on Ilia's leg and had nearly started to explain she indeed didn't like girls, but the look her friend displayed stopped Blake cold. It was so vulnerable and filled with giddy hope. Not wanting to crush her only friend, she attempted to think of some other roundabout way to tackle this, however, in doing so Blake forgot she'd rested her hand on Ilia's thigh for quite the long period of time. Time which the chameleon took as a signal. _Damn my slow thinking._

"Blake, don't tell me…" whispered Ilia, placing a hand on top of Blake's hand and blushing furiously. "You feel the same way I do…"

 _Dear lord, we've all lost our mind in this godforsaken camp._ Blake's thoughts were interrupted as Ilia's face seemed to be getting far too close for comfort. Considering the awkward position she was sitting in and the fact she wasn't hands-free and the fact Blake actually felt this could be a good way to get back at Adam, she was just going to let it happen. She wasn't particularly prudish about affectionate contact and it would probably make her friend happy... so, why not.

Just as the Faunus' lips met, the tent flap was torn open and Adam stormed in, sword in hand and dripping wet from the downpour outside. "Blake, we're having a meeting and your presence is required," spoke the leader, voice devoid of emotion. "You too, Amitola," he mentioned almost as an afterthought. Ilia looked a bit taken aback by his sudden presence, breaking the kiss with Blake and falling backward. Blake, on the other hand, responded in kind.

"Sure thing Adam, I'll be there in a second."

Adam nodded and left. Blake sighed and stood up, sheathing her weapon with great care. The weapon held an edge extremely well, though running it over the sheath could still dull it enough to be annoying. Looking back, Ilia still seemed to still be in shock. "What's wrong?"

"He... he saw us kissing."

"Yeah. And?"

"He didn't say anything though? He didn't even react?!" Exclaimed Ilia, becoming hysterical. _It's sad I don't know if she's upset about his lack of reaction to being cucked or being found out in the first place._

"I mean, I mentioned that Adam doesn't understand women before, right?" Asked Blake, putting on a jacket, seeing as it was raining quite hard. "Be a lamb and grab my umbrella for me, will you Ilia." Still in a small haze, the chameleon Faunus stood up and went for the umbrella at the other end of the tent and brought it to Blake.

"Thank you. You coming with? Seems like Adam is calling everyone."

"Uh... sure."

As Blake opened the umbrella and walked out, her friend walked close so as to stay dry. Although, especially after the whole forced kissing thing, it clearly wasn't the only reason Ilia was basically walking arm in arm with her. It didn't take long to enter the "town center" of the makeshift tent village. Basically, everyone was standing outside, looking quite miserable in fact. Although to make the area a bit more tolerable, a few people had gone out and laid large flat stones down to create a patchwork path to navigate when it was raining. The alternative was to clop around in two-inch deep mud.

Adam, Tyrian, and Saw stood in the center ready to address everyone. Tyrian and Saw, as crazy as they were, had umbrellas like everyone else because getting pneumonia out in the forest wasn't a good idea. Adam however, proving himself to be a nut, was standing in just his black jacket with no umbrella in sight. "Brothers and sisters! We've encountered a slight problem with supplies being delivered to our camp from New Eco. So we need two volunteers to go as diplomats and ask why convoys have stopped. It's far, so we'll decide-"

"I'll go!" Blake nearly shouted over the downpour of rain. Everyone turned to look at the Menagerie Princess. This assignment sounded like a god sent. A week or two out of the camp was bound to do the girl some good. It was either that or possibly massacre everyone in a fit of deranged madness. "I'll do it. I'm the Princess of Menagerie and have the support of lots of Faunus, so they'll probably take to me easiest. Also, I'm one of the best fighters here."

Everyone looked back at Adam, to see how he was reacting. He looked conflicted, though that could be the rain distorting his expression from view. After a couple seconds, he spoke again. "Well, I was going to choose Yuma and Puma because of their travel speed, but the merit of sending Blake might add some leeway in negotiations. Excellent thinking, my love."

Ilia seemed to bristle at the "my love" part but Blake ignored her. "Yes, so when should I leave?"

"As soon as possible. Yuma will go with you as well as protection and because of his scouting abilities. Will that be an issue?" Asked Adam to Yuma, who was standing off to the side. The bat Faunus shook his head in the negative. "Perfect. You'll leave today then. Pack anything you'll need."

 _Finally…_

"Understood," spoke Blake in the official voice that Adam loved to hear from those under him. She had started to turn around and leave, but it seemed the meeting wasn't over at the first announcement. Adam requested an audience with a few of those present before dismissing the rest. Blake was tempted to listen, though she was also tempted to get out the rain. Comfort won out in the end and she trudged back to her tent with Ilia so as to pack a few supplies.

"Your Highness," spoke a deep voice from behind. Blake and Ilia turned around to see Yuma a few paces away. His standard expression of disinterest was clear and present, though today the bat Faunus seemed particularly miserable. "I'll be waiting for you at the eastern gate. Please try to be there as soon as possible."

"Agreed. The sooner the better."

He nodded curtly and sauntered off. Yuma had an attitude with nearly every task he was given, whether difficult or elementary. Though he always _finished_ a job no matter what as well. The reason he was gifted much responsibility in the first place. Blake respected him in that sense. Not to mention he was never anything but urbane in nature with her or any of the women of the camp.

"I don't think I trust him," muttered the emotionally conspicuous chameleon. Blake rolled her eyes as the two entered the tent.

"I can't imagine why," hummed the Princess, getting a few items for the departure and putting them away in a small bag, which was then slung over her shoulder and onto her back. Gambol Shroud was looked over once more before being sheathed and fastened to her side. "Hey Ilia, keep your ears open for anything odd you hear? If possible, can you even spy a bit on Tyrian and Adam's meetings."

"Of course. But any particular reason why?"

Blake hesitated. Adam and the other leaders in the camp where quite keen on withholding certain information from the greater portion of the population in the New White Fang. There had only been hints on what they'd be doing in Vale made public. Adam claimed not everyone could be trusted. Which was true but still… Because of this, Blake had a hunch her boyfriend was even withholding information from her as well.

"Something isn't right. I'll give you more information when I get back, but just try to pick up on any info you can find. You're good at that sort of thing," spoke Blake, changing into a pair of black riding boots. Ilia looked a bit conflicted but relented.

"Fine but I expect an explanation later. I don't feel right about spying on our companions."

Blake snorted as she finally finished getting ready. "So you're fine with cucking our leader, but a little spying is out of hand? Inspect your morality little girl."

The jab at her height didn't get past her best friend, who looked positively miffed. Though, any anger formed quickly melted into paste when Blake took Ilia into her arms lovingly. "Stay safe and don't be too reckless."

"Hypocrite…" muttered Ilia, looking up into her friend's eyes. "Leaving the safety of the camp to head to New Eco. Why did you even ask?"

"Call it a need for new scenery. Anyway, I'll see you in two weeks."

And to ruin the moment of friendship, Ilia went in for the kiss again and again Blake rolled with it. Though this time it lasted a few chaste moments before breaking off naturally. Ilia looked to be in ecstasy. Blake hoped she wasn't cringing. Thank goodness dating Adam had given the girl more than enough practice in faking.

After that, she left the tent and began making her way to the eastern exit. It was only she had arrived at the stables did Blake realize she'd forgotten her umbrella. It took one more to realize it wasn't raining anymore. Looking up at the cloudy sky, Blake could even see the sun peaking out.

A horse had already been readied for her by the exit, pre-saddled up and loaded with some supplies. Yuma was waiting by the exit as well, airing out his large wings for the journey. She simply nodded her head to him and mounted the animal, patting the female horse gently. It neighed in affection back and shook slightly. The shimmering black animal was the only purebred in the camp and it was almost always reserved for her use and her use only.

"Okay, Yuma. Let's head out."

/-/

Qrow sidestepped out the way of a devastating punch which connected with an innocent tree, resulting in an explosion of wooden splinters and tinder. This also caused the master Knight to cover his face lest he be blinded by any rouge bit of debris. His opponent tried to capitalize on this, switching stances on a dime and let fly and haymaker right with the intent to end the fight. Sadly, said attacker was intercepted by a boot in the face before she could connect and was flung backwards. However, she managed to correct and somersault, landing on her feet instead of her butt.

"Nice try kid, but you're still too slow and too confident," chuckled Qrow. "Although your recovery wasn't half bad. Almost reminded me of a youn-"

Yang vaulted towards her uncle and was upon him in an instant. The two traded hands for a brief moment. Though as each strike was countered, dodged, or diverted it became clear who was going to win out in the end. Qrow shifted to left, Yang readied her right flank for a hit but was taken by surprise when kicked in the left side by some act of wizardry. Then a right jab connected with her jaw with enough force to bring the dragon to her knees, a massive wave of vertigo washing over her.

"Take it, easy kid. Let's take a break for now. I'm a bit winded."

 _Yet he's the one still standing._

Yang attempted to stand again, though as spots swarmed her vision, she took a knee again. "Damn Qrow, you really weren't messing around," chuckled the girl, attempting to mask the painful ringing in her head. She didn't want Ruby or Qrow to notice.

She heard her uncle laugh from across the clearing. "Says the one who begged me to take this spar seriously. If you'd had last a bit longer I might have even drawn my weapon." He quieted down not too soon after realizing that Yang was still down. "Are you sure you're okay?"

 _Shoot._ "Yeah, don't mind me," spoke the blonde, standing despite the spots still buzzing around her vision. "Anyway, you think I'm good enough, finally? It won't be long before you have to leave again." Her uncle rubbed his chin in thought, fishing out his flask in the process. After a swing or two, he finally spoke up.

"Yo, brat number two, what do you think?" Asked Qrow, looking at where Ruby was sitting cross-legged on the steps to the cabin, polishing the muzzle of a rifle that was longer than said girl. "Think Yang is ready?"

Ruby placed a finger on her lower lip and squinted her eyes at her sister. "I think she... is!" The older sister smiled at Ruby's decision, which was clearly guided by wanting to please her. Qrow rolled his eyes at the answer.

"I have a feeling you might be biased. Though seeing brat number 2 is the only one here, guess I have no choice but to begrudgingly fold to thy whims."

It took a while for Yang to even process what he'd said. After all these years of waiting. "Wait…are you serious?"

Qrow smiled and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm dead serious. You're more than ready. Glynda won't know what to do with you I'm sure."

"Whoo!" Yang threw her hands up and began to dance around. Of course, she'd know this day would come eventually, but it still barely felt real. She'd finally be a Knight... or at least one in proper training.

"And Ruby's coming too."

"Yayyyy!" Screamed Ruby, clapping and giggling along with her sister. Though after processing what Qrow said, Yang ceased her jubilation for a moment. This was unexpected and not entirely welcome.

"Wait, what?" She asked, turning to Qrow. Her uncle and mentor shrugged.

"Of course she is. Brat two clearly can't leave here on her own. Plus I promised if she was able to shoot a gnat between the eyes from two hundred yards away which I'd at least introduce her to Glynda."

"And you thought I couldn't," teased Ruby, sticking out her tongue at Qrow. While the two began to bicker, Yang stopped to think about this new information. Guess she'd never considered the fact ruby would more than likely have to come, considering no-one else would be around. Her sister was strong but a bit too trusting. Their dad had a homestead in Vale near the castle, so she'd more than likely stay there.

"So, when do we leave?" Asked Yang, slipping off her gauntlets and rejoining the conversation. Qrow stopped his childish back and forth with Ruby for a moment. "As soon as possible. I want you girls already comfortable before the wedding. Not to mention get some dresses tailored."

"Why?" Asked Ruby, who was now putting the massive weapon back together. "We won't need dresses to train with the Guard's, will we? Unless it's a new combat skirt."

The alcoholic rubbed his face in exasperation and swigged down some more brown liquid. "Goodness, raising you girls in the woods was a mistake and a blessing... Let me put it another way. The wedding has a strict dress code and the tomboy act ain't gonna cut it, ya feel?"

"Wait... we get to be a part of the wedding?!"

/-/

The main roads of Vale were very secure when it came to thievery and Grimm. A caravan could get from Vale proper to any of the primary cities and towns without much fear of reprisal. However, the main roads were not always the quickest routes, considering they had been made many years ago before quicker routes were found. Not to mention other towns had been created since then. Thus, new roads, though less protected roads, were formed.

It was one of these quicker routes that Amber and her escort had found themselves breaking camp on for the night. Everyone had, for the most part, settled in for a light sleep before making it to Vale proper in the early morning tomorrow. The only person still sitting by the fire eating was the Maiden herself, still not entirely comfortable with being away from her partners. _Guess I'll have to get used to it quickly… At least I'll get to see Master Branwen again once I return to Beacon._

"Maiden Amber, is the food to your liking?"

Amber flinched a bit and nearly dropped the salted beef in her hand at the sound of Sentinel Glenn behind her. In part because before speaking, she hadn't sensed his presence at all. "Oh, Sentinel Glenn! I…" The Maiden made the mistake of turning around and looking the warrior in the eyes, causing her to seize up a little in fear. Not just fear, however. It actually felt like everything that wasn't the piercing silver began to melt away until she'd frozen up entirely and the sensation of free falling took hold of her.

All spatial and temporal sensations gridlocked into a murky limbo of nothingness that could have lasted a second or week for all Amber was aware of. Just when it seemed she'd certainly die, the spell was broken and she was looking at Sentinel Glenn again. The only difference from before was that his eyes were now closed.

"It seems this old power of mine has troubled you, young lady. Forgive me."

 _That was him not trying?!_

Amber coughed into her hand and played off the encounter as if it wasn't the greatest terror she'd been confronted within the last two years. "It's quite alright. I was merely taken off guard is all." Glenn nodded and took a seat beside her, still keeping his eyes closed. She was grateful for that. "I imagine it must be quite the challenge to control such power," spoke Amber, trying to ease the mood between them. To her great surprise, the Sentinel chuckled in a rich and seasoned voice.

"My power is rather benign to the citizens. Only against beings of a different nature does my mere presence do harm. Fortunate, for mine is a power that must always be active."

The Maiden looked closer at the Sentinel, never having had the chance to see him up close. He was old, she knew for certain he was _very_ old, but time happened to be kind in this case. Though the creases of his face were indeed deeper than a ravine, they were few in number. While his skin was weathered to the extent of resembling leather's consistency, each feature was serene like an undisturbed pond. His white hair, which should by all accounts be brittle, instead was thick and layered like otter fur.

Taking in all that he was, Amber decided that if anything could possibly describe Sentinel Glenn, it would be a great tree, one that despite being fossilized continued to grow. Frozen in time and yet moving forward. She broke free from her reverence when he spoke again.

"Speaking of power, how is yours coming along, little lamb?"

Amber would have usually been put off to be referred in such a belittling manner, though, this being made her feel much smaller than a lamb. "I've made great headway. Controlling the weather in the Newcastle's farmland is no problem. Though that is the power's limit."

Glenn stroked his chin, humming a short familiar tone. "Interesting... Lady Maiden, how often would you say travelers frequent this road?"

Confused at the change in topic, it took Amber a few moments to form a proper answer. "Um, well this path is certainly quicker, but more prone to highwaymen and deserters. I suppose a few noteworthy letter carriers use this path to get from Utero to Vale proper and vice versa… why do you ask?"

The Sentinel didn't answer, he didn't have to. Seconds after she finished talking, the sounds of a galloping horse could be heard in the far distance. Whoever it was clearly was in quite the rush, not even slowing as the lone rider rushed towards the camp. Amber reached for the staff that lay beside her, but Glenn placed his hand on her forearm and shook his head. He seemed to think this person would be no threat. Though, the others in the camp had already fled from their tents and readied weapons.

"Halt! In the name of the Valean Military, I say halt!" Shouted Captain Irvin, who'd come out of his tent in long johns a sword and nothing else. The command worked, however, and the rider pulled back on the reigns hard, bringing his steed to a hard stop right as he entered the campfire's light. Immediately, said rider was surrounded by soldiers brandishing weapons. Now in the light, Amber could see that there was, in fact, two riders, and the horse was a lovely shade of brown, which shimmered like gold in the fire's light.

"Hold your fire!" Cried the hooded rider, raising his hands in the air. His passenger did the same. "I be simply passing through is all, Captain."

Irvin scoffed. "I'm sure. Show your face then, travelers. Then I'll decide on what will be done."

The rider hesitated for a moment but eventually grasped the edges of his hood and pulled it down, revealing a head of stark blue hair and a face that belonged to a boy. The rider behind him pulled his hood down as well, revealing a... her. A Faunus girl at that.

"Berry Newcastle?" Asked the Maiden, the question coming out before she could catch it. The boy turned his head to gaze at her, eyes squinting in recognition.

"Do I know you?"

Amber had, in fact, met Berry Newcastle a year ago when she went to Utero, the center of the Newcastle's land, with Yastu to pick up some items. While there, she'd also met with the Duke of Newcastle and said hello to the young heir as well. It seemed he didn't recall the moment as well as she did. "Yes, we've met before briefly. What brings you to this area so late at night, without escort no less?"

The Maiden's eyes flickered to the pale rabbit Faunus on the horse, who refused to look anyone in the eye. _Poor thing is shaking like a leaf._ Berry was putting up something of a strong front but he seemed anxious as well. Something was clearly wrong with this situation.

"I… I was simply taking a shortcut through this path and planned to get back on the main road. I've been tasked with a few assignments by my father is all."

"At this time of night?" Asked one of Glynda's Knights. Serpico was his name, remembered Amber.

"Er… yes."

"With no escort in sight?" Asked Irvin, who still looked very unamused.

"Correct…"

"In an area where Grimm smite?" Asked one of the military men, continuing the joke. A few of the others snickered a bit.

"Now see here, will you let me pass or not?" Berry finally spoke, becoming indignant at the treatment he was receiving. When Irvin's neutral indifference was replaced by a glare, the boy glared back. The Captain sighed and scratched his chin.

"Listen, we have no grounds to detain you and your private actions are your own. Though I do say this is quite bizarre."

"So... I may go?"

"Tch, I suppose. On your way, young Duke." The boy smiled graciously and nodded, spurring the horse and taking off down the road once more. Within a few moments, he was out of sight completely. With that over, the men of the camp went back to their respective places of rest to salvage whatever fringes of sleep they could before daybreak. Amber thought she heard Irvin mutter something about the kids before returning to his tent.

"Quite the night," commented Sentinel Glenn, staring into the campfire with closed eyes. Whether he was taking of the lone noble boy and his servant, Amber wasn't sure. Despite this, she couldn't help but agree. For some reason or another.

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's a wrap! I hope you're slowly putting together how these seemingly separate stories are beginning to coincide with each other. If not, you'll surely see by next chapter. Well, that's all for now. Will Berry escape? What will Blake decide? Does anyone read these A/Ns? Does anyone still read these chapters? Find out next time in Part 3.


	8. Letters and Limerence Part 3

Chapter 8: Letters and Limerence Part 3

Guest Beta: Knight of Cerberus

* * *

In the Valean Kingdom, the breaking of a new day was something that many witnessed. As the Kingdom was primarily that of farmland, workers were already in the field when the sun steadily rose from its hiding place underneath the horizon. Even those who did not tend to the field had been up for possibly hours, setting up market stands or working the large looms for textiles. Few had the luxury to still be in bed at this hour.

Cinder Fall found herself to be in a slightly different group. That being the one that had been awake all throughout the night and hadn't gotten to touch a bed at all. As it turned out, doing the job she'd actually been brought here to do was quite hard. Something that Mercury was not letting her forget, it seemed.

"Cinder, I think you carried a five when it should have been an eight," spoke the gray-haired boy, looking over one of the countless pieces of parchments that were marked with slapdash equations and shambolic notes an outsider would see as the ravings of a lunatic.

Cinder rubbed the soot from her face, which had been blasted from the blackened beaker of their latest Dust disaster. "Interesting. What brought about this observation?" She asked sarcastically, attempting to get ash from her hair.

"Mostly a hunch. Also, the big boom that just happened."

The Advisor might have responded with snark if any was left, but instead, she went to go find a wet towel to get the stinging substances out of her eyes. She regretted not taking the goggles Mercury had offered, but the damn things were so uncomfortable.

After finding one, or rather one being pushed into her hands by Flora, Cinder wiped off her face and walked back over to her assistant before looking over the paper in his hands. Her eye began to twitch after scanning the equation.

"Mercury dear, that _is_ an eight."

The teenager looked back at her then at the paper, squinting hard. "Huh, so it is. Still, though, you have to admit it could be a five in the right light."

"Boy, if you don't desire to be set _alight_ in the next minute you'll start setting up the experiment properly."

Though he started to work on it straight away, he couldn't help but continue his ribbing. Considering they'd been at this for over twenty-four hours with no break she almost couldn't be mad. The fact he had the energy to do so was incredible. "You know, we've both accidentally set ourselves on fire in like the last seven hours, maybe come up with a better threat?"

"Fine. I'll cut off your dick while you sleep, have Felicia sauté it in butter and garlic, then feed it to you for breakfast. Does that threat suffice?"

Mercury held back a laugh. "That might be the most crass thing you've ever said. I like this new tired Cinder. Although wouldn't I notice the disappearance of my willy?"

Cinder, also giggling a bit, responded. "Oh Mercury, it's so small that I figured that wouldn't be an issue."

At hearing this Mercury clutched his chest as if he had been shot and faked a grimace. Cinder rolled her eyes and went to go grab a vial of ignition Dust she'd left to sit.

"I thought you said you'd come up with better threats than burning me alive, and yet I've just been... roasted!" Yelled the boy, keeping up the theatrics. Cinder let out a loud snort as she tried to contain a bout of laughter. The action sent another round of hysterics through Mercury, while shocking the woman the sound came from. That had to be the most undignified sound she'd ever made.

 _Oh, what should I care? It's just Mercury._

This wasn't a Duke's soiree, a hushed meeting with a Count, or even a one on one with a friend in the court. She wasn't in a red dress that dazzled even in low light, nor was she in high glass heels to accentuate her ass. Right now she had been in a badly lit underground laboratory for twenty-seven hours, wearing a sweat and soot-stained garment, while barefoot and unwashed, in the company of a trusted servant and the closest person she could consider a little brother. Pretense could go to hell right now.

With this realization, Cinder snorted again before letting laughter seep through her lips. A steady trickle of chuckles soon turned into near-deranged cackling as the damn broke. She laughed so hard that her legs nearly gave out. Tears clouded her vision as well to the point she had to sit down and compose herself.

"Jeez Cinder, how long have you been holding that one in? That's like mad scientist levels of laughter," spoke Mercury, mixing the correct solution this time around. Cinder ignored him and attempted to control her breathing. "Though I guess the comparison would be apt considering the location."

"Stupidity is contagious. It's clear I've been around you too long."

"Ouch. Hey, hand me that vial, would you?"

Cinder offered him the special blend of ignition Dust and went back to sitting down. If it didn't work this time they'd have to make a whole new batch of the stuff, which would take hours. The thought was enough to drive someone to pray. Cinder almost got up to do the test herself, but stopped before even trying. She may still be better at the theorem writing aspect but Mercury had long since surpassed her touch in an actual lab work. He practically lived down here anyway.

With bated breath they both watched the two solutions that had just been mixed come into contact with each other. Cinder stood up and walked beside the boy, this time accepting the pair of goggles he offered. She was better at Aura control than him and thus was always chosen as the one to trigger the reactions. The Advisor raised her hand over the large beaker and activated the Dust within.

Nothing happened at first. However, a soft violet glow slowly began to wash out of the container. The heat was more intense than expected as well, but neither looked away or attempted to step back. Red and blue sparks began jumping left and right.

Then it erupted.

Green flames exploded out of the tube and into the air before connecting with the stone ceiling. Around it was splashes of purples, vibrant oranges, brilliant yellows, and chaotic reds. The light was strong enough to illuminate the entire workspace, which was quite large. As the reaction continued, each color intermingled with one another and created new shades, representing the entire spectrum. After two minutes, it had finally lost the majority of its fuel source, weakened, and fizzled out entirely, leaving the room in dim light once again.

"Woah..." spoke Mercury, removing his goggles. "That was intense."

Cinder also removed her eyewear. "Yes. It was an even better reaction than I'd hoped."

She started to giggle to herself before wiping away a few loose tears of joy. "We're finally done."

"I guess? Though we still need to scale up the quantities and write out more-"

"Yes, but all those things can be done _outside_ the lab, my dear. I can finally leave this hole and embrace a hot bath."

Mercury scowled, becoming defensive of his primary dwelling place. "Hey, it's not a hole! I basically live down here."

"We are currently two stories beneath the cold, unforgiving ground. Spending every second of the day here wouldn't make it less of a hole. Now come along, boy," spoke the refined woman, walking towards the stairway up. Mercury followed dutifully.

"Why am I coming up with you? What, are we going to take a bath together?"

"Don't forget I didwash your hair as a boy in Vacuo. Actually, now that I think about it, Ashley would wash Emerald's hair as well at the same time. And you two would start to throw water at each other. It was so-"

"Please _,_ don't continue that," pleaded Mercury, hiding a blush.

"Oh, but you were such an unruly thing. You also never wanted me to clean behind your-"

"Nope! Not listening! Go back to brooding Cinder, please. Never thought I'd want her back."

Cinder chuckled a bit as they emerged from downstairs into the main floor. " _Brooding_ Cinder needs at least four hours of sleep to recharge. She also needs to not have three layers of ash coating her skin."

Felicia walked up to the two and bowed. "Master Fall, the private bathhouse has been prepped for you two."

"Excellent. Thank you. Come along, Mercury."

"Wait, are we actually going to bathe together? I don't need help washing my hair anymore, Cinder!"

Cinder stopped for a moment, much to Mercury's relief. However, the faraway look she got didn't bode well at all. "Oh my, now I remember. You used to say that every bathtime. Except you called me _Big Sis._ " She starting giggling again. Mercury, on the other hand, had reached peak mortification.

"Cinder!"

/-/

Berry Newcastle didn't like working his horses too hard. He was just gentle-hearted when it came to animals, and people as well for that matter. His father was much the same when it came to taking care of beasts of burden, interestingly enough.

"Sorry, girl," he whispered into Aurum's muzzle, tenderly rubbing her mane. "Thank you. Take a good rest now."

Aurum had carried two passengers from Vale Proper to Utero in just shy of a full day. It was surely a new record, and the fleeing couple would need every second. Seeing as Blu was the heir of Newcastle, the guards had let him into the city walls with no questions of his purpose. The same went for the city stronghold, where he'd withdrawn funds for the future. Not a lot, and not nearly as much as he could have, but just enough.

Palla stood near the horse they'd be taking for the duration of the trip, waiting in silence. After one last pat, he walked over to the bunny girl, and took her in his arms, before planting a kiss between her ears. "Are you ready to go my love?"

"Are you? Blu, this is your inheritance, your home. Are you sure you want to possibly never see it again, just for me?"

He smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek this time. "I never needed great splendor, nor have I ever craved my inheritance like my siblings. You're all I've ever needed."

When he finally kissed her on the lips, tears had begun to stream down the servant's face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back fiercely. The boy lost his balance and fell backward into the hay of the stable, though that hardly stopped the sudden moment of intimacy. Palla had started to paw at his clothes before the boy broke the kiss.

"As much as I want to, we're on a tight schedule," he gasped out, trying to catch his breath. The girl blushed and quickly stood up, letting out small apologizes. Blu smiled and got to his feet as well, walking over to the horse that would be their ride out of Vale. Liberato, a beautiful pure white steed built for endurance. It had been saddled up with supplies already, and was prepped to go.

He led the beast out of the large stable, with Palla following close behind. The guards and the servants nearby all saluted to Berry as he walked towards the large gates.

"Master Newcastle, are you sure it's safe to leave by yourself?" asked one of the servants of the house. "I know these roads are relatively safe, but... well you just never know."

"I'll be fine Benson, I assure you. I'm just taking the main road," he lied, patting the faithful man on the shoulder. "With the wedding of Prince Arc going on, there are more military on the supply lines than grass in a field."

"Yes, I suppose that's true. Still, it would be no problem to organize a detail to protect you…"

"I'll be fine _._ Most highwaymen will back off if you wave an Atlas repeating pistol in their face," he joked before climbing up on his horse, followed by Palla. "It'll be fine, Benson. Trust me. Now there's no more time to waste."

The servant nodded once more before the gates were opened and the drawbridge let down. The heir gave one last wave to those who had gathered, spurred the horse, and took off down the path. Palla clung tightly to him as the wind whipped past them. The feeling never ceased to be exhilarating.

They rode for around ten minutes on the path to the main road before pulling on the reigns and bringing the beast to a full stop. He and the ex-servant, now his fiancé, dismounted, both knowing the plan. Benson had been right. The threat of thieves was a pertinent one, especially since he wouldn't be anywhere near the main roads for the duration of this trip. A little insurance was needed.

Berry fiddled with one of the satchels before extracting two sets of robes. Both a shimmering gray with a vibrant red trim. Knight attire. More specifically, personal Knights of Advisor Port attire. The garment was quite hard to come by, and it wouldn't have been possible on such short notice had two Knights who patrolled around this area not left spare uniforms at the estate.

The two hurriedly put on the robes, though they were far too big, and remounted the horse. With a kick of the spurs, Liberato shot off in the opposite direction of the main path and towards a far less traveled trail. There was no guarantee that the outfits would deter criminals, but they'd at least think twice, since Knight's under Port had been known for their brutality against highwaymen.

There were still risks. A lot actually. There was also a sufficient chance of success, and that was enough.

The sun had just fully peaked over the horizon when the escaping lovers entered the high grasslands.

/-/

"Why must we go through the hidden route? No one knows who I am, Captain."

Captain Irvin looked at the Maiden briefly before pulling his hat down a bit tighter on his head. He, Amber, and Sentinel Glenn were walking through the tight, stone-lined corridors that were Vale Proper. This particular path wasn't known to many, and was accessible to even fewer. The military man had even dismissed his troops before heading towards this pathway.

"It's easier this way, though a bit longer. And I might remind you that quite a great deal of people know you. Or the other you I suppose. What's that like, if I may ask?"

Amber sighed. The stone walls on either side of the alley felt like they might close in on her. _I hate getting this question._ "It's hard to explain really, and to be honest I'd rather not."

"Shame. Maiden Evergreen was much the same though. Worse even. Tight-lipped woman she was-"

Before Amber could even mentally process her actions, she had Captain Irvin pinned against the wet stone of the walls, clutching his lapel, Maiden powers activated, and fist cocked. "If you keep speaking, you'll regret it," threatened Amber in a dark voice that she herself didn't recognize.

Irvin, the old survivor that he was, didn't bat an eye. In fact, his eyes burned with a passion only a veteran possessed. The Maiden felt the cold tip of a single shot pistol push into her throat. When he had time to draw that she didn't know.

"Heh, and Glynda suggested we not call Sentinel Glenn from his chambers for this mission. Ozpin knows how _volatile_ your kind is though. Unhand me."

And she did. Amber rubbed her forehead, feeling a little queasy. "I'm sorry… I don't know where…"

"It's quite alright," replied Irvin coolly, straightening out his jacket and returning his pistol to its holster. He smiled as if laughing at an inside joke. "Who knows, maybe that was a bit of Maiden Evergreen coming out. The two of us never got along."

He turned and kept walking down the path. Amber hesitated to follow, still not feeling whole in her own skin. Sentinel Glenn walked up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Everything in her being seemed to stop and slide into its proper place. After less than thirty seconds, she was feeling normal again.

"Th-Thank you."

Glenn didn't say anything. He simply kept walking to keep pace with Captain Irvin. Amber bent down, picked up the staff she'd dropped, and kept walking as well. She was too embarrassed to say anything, so she stayed a few paces behind.

 _Why did I do that? I wasn't even that close to Maiden Evergreen. It was like someone else was piloting my body for a moment. Maybe Irvin's joke wasn't so far off._

Amber ran a hand through her hair. It wasn't the first time something similar had happened. Ever since becoming a Maiden, she had felt different, and not the 'unimaginably powerful' different, either. More the 'I'm not the same person anymore' different. That had been what Irvin had been asking about in the first place. It varied - or at least Ozpin said it did - but after inheriting the powers of the Maiden someone's entire personality might change depending on how closely they resembled the original Maiden of that season.

 _Ozpin said I was a 'spitting image' of Fall though. So my personality should be intact for the most part._

She'd ask him about it again after reaching the castle. Hopefully, Master Qrow would be there as well. He had always proved to be a comforting presence. _Maybe I might even get to see Lavender again. She was such a sweet girl the last time we spoke. Wait...there is someone else I need to see first._

"Sentinel Glenn, Captain Irvin. There is somewhere I need to stop by before Beacon Castle. I promise it won't take long."

Irvin didn't even turn around. "Who?"

"Lady Adel."

"Tch," muttered the Captain. "I do have my orders you know, but I suppose it isn't worth you making a fuss, now is it?"

Just as he spoke they reached a dead end. Or at least what appeared to be a dead end. Captain Irvin probed the stone wall before managing to slide out one of the bricks, revealing a small metal keyhole with the Arc family crest engraved above. Irvin withdrew a key from his pocket and slid it firmly into the opening before waiting a few seconds, then turned the lock. A click followed, which was then followed by several other clicks before the stone wall lowered itself into the ground, revealing a narrow passageway.

While the lift system was convenient and a quicker way to transverse the levels of Vale, even before they were automated, these small underground corridors were still used for their discrete nature. Of course, people speculated that there were passages underground, but very, _very_ few people knew that the large plateau Beacon Castle was built upon actually had an entire network of corridors hidden underneath the rock.

They walked forward into the cool passageway, entering a small room of polished stone, carved out of the plateau itself. It was lit by two green torches that were never extinguished, as far as Amber knew. Irvin pulled a lever on the side wall and the entryway closed again, appearing to be nothing more than a wall once more.

The small room led to three different passageways within the complex. There was a staircase leading upward, a staircase leading down - into what Amber didn't know - and a passage in the middle that was guarded by an ancient-looking metal door. Irvin took the lead and began his ascent up the staircase, Amber and Glenn following.

 _I wonder what made Irvin so special, that he would be given the keys to this place._ The Captain seemed to be respected by everyone as well. Maybe she'd do a bit more research into it.

"Oh, and your Maidenship, please do make this tiny detour a short one. Serpico and Dragnet may very well have made it to Beacon Castle by now to report your return."

Amber sighed, thinking of the friends she'd recently left behind. "I promise to be as brief as possible."

/-/

The marketplace of Menagerie was quiet. The various market stalls and vendors were open or in the process of opening, but for now, there were only a few actual early bird customers looking to snag the best catch for themselves and were willing to get up early to do it. There was fish of all types, squids, various crustacean, shell foods, shark fins, octopus, seaweed wraps, and just about anything else that could be dragged up from the watery deep.

It would make for a lovely place to walk around and take in the cultural differences from Vale. Neo wasn't here to be a tourist, however. Not to say she wouldn'tpartake in what the island had to offer later, because of course she would. However, right now was the best time to deliver the letter to King Belladonna.

Looking further in the distance, the Grand Hall of the Royal Family was just in view. It was nowhere near as grand as Beacon Castle. Not even close. In fact, it looked downright humble even compared to the Counts' estates in Vale. She supposed it fit with the rather humble livings of the Faunus-ruled island, not like it mattered much. Just made it easier for Neo to walk to.

The Valean Messenger pulled down her silver hood as she walked deeper into the territory and came across a grove of fruit trees that blossomed pink colored flowers. She wasn't sure what species of tree it was, but the falling petals in the early morning sun were mesmerizing. _I'll make Roman plant one outside the house._

"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" spoke a feminine voice from behind.

Neo nodded, not turning around. She had felt the woman's presence a few moments before she spoke. Though, that was still something of a feat to have been able to not be noticed until then.

"You know, they say that this particular species of tree was imported from Mistral originally. But I find the blooms are far more vibrant here, as if saying 'I'm home.' I say that it's just another instance of revision in history," the voice spoke again. It was a husky sort of female voice, one that Neo compared to spiced apples for some reason.

"Do you plan on keeping your back to me the whole time, or are the petals really that beautiful?"

Neopolitan, who had been holding her parasol loosely this entire time, mashed the button on its handle and opened it before bringing it up and allowing it to shield her body from the slowly intensifying rays of sunlight. She almost chuckled at hearing the women behind her jump back at the sudden movement.

The Dame finally turned around to see who the voice belonged to. Upon doing so, both eyebrows raised slightly at the sight.

It was a tiger Faunus, an extremely beautiful one at that. She was clothed in a silk, black and red oriental dress clearly meant for freedom of movement as much as fashion. What truly caught Neo's attention were the tiger stripe tattoos that lined each limb. They blended perfectly with the rich, dark skin and added an animalistic aesthetic that was rarely ever seen. Her eyes were like yellow amber, holding back unseen intent and knowledge. Everything about her spoke 'exotic.'

The Tiger Faunus' eyes narrowed at Neo's outfit before widening upon finally recognizing the green fabric tied to her right forearm. She stepped back again before bowing slightly.

"My apologies, Messenger of the Vale Kingdom. When I noticed someone making their way towards the capital so casually, it made me quite nervous, and I mean no disrespect when I ask this, but can I please see your insignia-"

Neo tossed the women her signet ring, which had been gifted to her. There were only three that existed, and two of them were possessed by Messengers while the other was for the King himself. The Faunus looked over it before handing it back to Neopolitan. "I'll take you to his Highness right away."

As they walked, it became clear that there was more security than Neo had initially thought. Groups patrolling the forested area around the building, watchtowers camouflaged as trees. Even within the ground, Neo could see signs of unarmed traps, but the Faunus beside her still felt like the most dangerous thing within a five-mile radius.

The two garnered all sorts of attention once they reached gates to the manor. The soldiers milling about and going through drills all stopped and saluted as they walked by.

"Excuse my manners once more," spoke the tiger. "You can address me as Sienna Khan, or General Khan if you'd rather that."

Neo nodded, making sure to get a good look around. She also waved and blew kisses to a few of the men milling around. Prince Arc's reputation was on the line, after all, it would be good to make nice with those from allied nations. Sienna cleared her throat.

"If I may ask, what is your name? I've not heard of a Messenger matching your description from the Valean Kingdom."

The Dame placed a finger on her chin. That was the one thing she hadn't counted on. Having to speak. Neo _had_ learned every type of sign language, however, to be able to do business for Roman. So she signed out her name in Valean sign language, since Valean was the language of Menagerie, and hoped the tiger understood.

"Oh, I see," replied Sienna. "I'm not properly versed in sign language, so excuse my mistakes. Your name is... Neopolitan?"

Neo nodded happily, glad to be understood. Though any conversation they might have had was cut short, seeing as they had reached the doors of the large home. The two guards standing by at the entrance stood at attention in Sienna's presence.

"General Khan, madame! Have you come to seek an audience with the King?"

"That I have. I'm sure his majesty is still in slumber, but please send for him to be roused. We are in the company of a Valean emissary and I'm positive Lord Ghira wouldn't wish for them to be kept waiting."

"Of course. Please come in and wait in the drawing room."

The two guards in black pushed the large wooden doors open, allowing them to enter into a spacious room with a few mats for sitting around a long slightly elevated table. Around the room were a few tapestries, vases, and potted flora, though otherwise quite sparse in decorations.

"This must be quite different than what you're no doubt accustomed to in Vale. I never had the opportunity to travel to Vale, but I know the furniture is quite different than here. I'm sure there is much more grandeur on display in Vale as well."

Neo waved it off. The place could have been bare bones to the point of having a dirt floor and she'd still think it was decent. She knewwhat it was to truly have little or for a while, nothing at all.

When Sienna sat down, Neo took the mat next to her and smiled to once again show she was fine with the pleasantries she'd been shown thus far.

"Do you want me to take those for you?" Asked a servant, pointing to the three cylindrical containers hanging from straps on her back. In all honesty, she had forgotten about them for the time being. Though the containers, or rather the continents of them, were vital to her mission and ability to get home. That being the case, she shook her head politely.

"Cervi, what you can do is bring some tea and a translator if possible," commented Sienna. The girl nodded in response and was gone the next second, leaving them alone again. Now left in silence, Neo began to drum her fingers on the low table, waiting for King Ghira to come. The Messenger was never the most social person, so even if she could speak, Neo wouldn't have attempted to make conversation anyway.

Thankfully the woman seemed of the same mindset, as she hadn't looked the least bit perturbed at the lack of conversation. Many military types were like that, it seemed. Either that, or they never stopped talking in an attempt to drown out memories.

"Excuse me if I speak out of turn, but I would have been notified if a ship had been seen near any of Menagerie's coastal fronts. I take it you didn't use one?"

Neopolitan nodded, though didn't go into the specifics. Sienna clearly didn't expect any either. "I only ask to make sure none of my subordinates had become lax at their duties," she explained, despite the explanation being unnecessary. A few moments later, two sets of footsteps could be heard from the other side of the house, gradually making their way towards the meeting room.

The sliding door to the next room was pulled open and in walked Ghira, King of Menagerie. He was enormous, though maybe it just seemed that way because Neo was sitting down. Behind him came a beautiful feline Faunus, who Neo assumed to be his wife. The two were followed by another Faunus in less extravagant wear, who Neo assumed to be a servant.

Neo started to stand but stopped when Ghira took a seat on the other side of the table. Kali did the same, sitting close to her husband.

"You're quite young for a Messenger," spoke the King, looking at her intently. "Hm, no matter I suppose. So, what does Vale need of me?"

Neo reached into her jacket and withdrew the silver letter addressed to him. Ghira gingerly took the letter from her and broke the wax seal. As he withdrew the parchment inside, a servant appeared with tea. By the time everyone was served, the King had finished reading. Afterward, he handed it off to his wife and began sipping the tea.

Neo sipped from her own cup patiently while the letter was passed around. Kali let out a 'hmm' while looking over it, but was otherwise silent. The letter was then finally handed to Sienna, which was somewhat a surprise. That the Tiger Faunus was part of decision-making affairs led Neo to believe that she was more important than just a General.

Finally, after the letter was handed back to Ghira, he spoke. "Please inform Prince Arc that I would be honored to be a guest, and feel free to sign at any time. Davis here is a translator," spoke Ghira, gesturing to the servant that had walked in with them.

" _The King will be very pleased to hear that. Thank you for your time, King Belladonna,"_ signed Neo, which the translator relayed to the rest.

"I don't suppose you have time to stay for pleasantries, Lady Messenger? We have many different cuisines that can be found nowhere else. I'm sure we could prepare something before the day is out."

The girl thought back to the market she'd passed through. All of the different varieties of fresh fish she knew to be delicious since Roman imported a regular amount of goods from here. Plus, despite still feeling strong enough to fight, teleporting such a long distance had taken a chunk and a half of energy. Doing it twice in such a short time frame would leave her unable to move.

Plus, what was the point of traveling everywhere if you couldn't enjoy it? She was pretty sure she'd heard Qrow say something to that effect once.

" _I_ _'m afraid I_ _can't stay longer than a day."_

Ghira clapped his hands, a smile growing on his face. "More than enough time. I'll tell the chiefs to begin a feast!"

/-/

Tai Xiao-Long was a lot of things. A retired Knight, father, Advisor, and even a lady's man in some circles. At the moment, though, he was Tai: Tournament Organizer Extraordinaire, and when finding contestants to participate, it was only right to start at the top.

"Glynda, I'm just saying, you won't even consider joining the Tournament? Think about Vale's reputation!"

The Head of Royal Guard rubbed her temples in frustration. "Tai, you come into my barracks, come into my office - all unannounced I might add - and you ask me this? Despite knowing I'm manning security as well..."

"You can't do both?"

"No, I can't," muttered Glynda, reaching into her desk for a slip of paper, which she handed to Tai. "This is a list of the Guard I can spare during the Wedding. Feel free to use them in the Tournament."

Tai looked over the paper before looking up again, eyebrow raised. "This list is pretty short."

"Yes, it's almost like we'll need every bit of security possible when hosting four kingdoms at once _._ Be happy there's anyone on that list at all."

 _Sigh, well, it's a start._

"Understood, Glynda. Feels like just yesterday me, you, and Jonathan were entering our first tournament together."

Glynda smiled at the memory, taking off her glasses and leaning further back into her leather chair. "Yes, occasionally it does." She idly ran her hand over the old marble desk. "I can still remember calling the man who used to sit here 'a right hard ass.' Then one day I woke as that same hard ass."

Tai chuckled. "I don't know, your ass seems much softer than his."

Glynda raised an eyebrow before looking past her old friend at the closed door. "Tai, if you're trying to get back on the horse I'm surprised you'd start with me-"

"No, no, no! I just meant that you were much easier on punishment than he was. Damn, but if you're offering…"

Glynda looked at the papers at her desk, a sea of chaos she needed to organize. She looked back up, giving her old friend a dangerous look. One that vanished a few moments later. "Maybe another time, if you're serious, though youhave work to do at the moment. Same as me."

Tai scratched his chin a little and grinned. "Yeah, guess you got me there. Also, I'm sure Jonathan set the bar too high anyway," spoke the man, standing up and heading to the door. Glynda's eyes widened for a split second before she sunk lower in her chair, letting out a puff of frustrated air.

"You're the only one I'd let slide for a comment like that," spoke Glynda, her voice just a tad bit brittle. Tai's eyes softened and he attempted to step closer.

"Glynda, I didn't know you still-"

"Shut up. Just leave, will you?" she whispered out, clearly swallowing a lump of emotion. "It's just... damn it I thought I was over this."

"I'm not leav-"

"Damnit, Tai," chuckled out the usually upright women in a sort of half laugh, half cry. She withdrew a handkerchief and wiped at the tears that had started to fall. "I'll be fine, I promise. I just got a bit emotional is all. Now leave _._ I honestly can't finish my work until yours is finished. Maybe we can talk more then."

 _Wow, I feel like shit._

"R-Right. Take care," he muttered before walking out the office and shutting the door softly behind himself. Feeling tired and beating himself up over making one of his only close friends cry, he walked down the long hallway towards the staircase that led to ground level.

"Mr. Xiao-Long?"

Tai stopped at hearing the familiar voice. He turned around and was greeted by the surprised face of Velvet. _Damn, this girl shows up in the weirdest places._

"Hey, Carrot, what are you doing here?" Asked Tai, rubbing the girl between her ears. He'd known Velvet since she was born and since he didn't have kids of his own at the time, had doted on her for most of her childhood. Not to mention Mrs. Scarlatina was a long time acquaintance of his.

Velvet pouted and moved out from under his hand. "I've told you a million times that nickname is racist. I don't even like carrots that much. And to answer your question, I was simply visiting a friend who has been a bit lonely recently."

"I see, but I remember when you used to gnarl on carrots all the time when you were a toddler. It was so cute. Although, I guess a new name is in order. Celery it is!"

Velvet sighed, though otherwise seemed to give up on the matter. "So, what brings you here, Mr. Xiao-Long."

Tai rubbed his neck, the conversation he'd just had moments ago still left a bad taste in his mouth. "Just scouting out our Tournament roster... hey, you wouldn't happen to know anyone on this list, would you? Since you have friends over here."

The Advisor pulled out the small list and handed it to Velvet. She quickly scanned it and handed the paper back. "I do know oneperson on that list, and she could use the distraction right now as well. In fact, why don't I introduce the two of you?"

"Lead the way."

/-/

The sea finally calmed as The Ironwood passed through the Staubig Strait along with The Spee. From here on it was simply a straight shot to the Valean Kingdom through warm, and more importantly, calm waters. The General which the battleship was named after was finally able to breathe a small sigh of relief. At least the threat of capsizing could be checked off the very long list of things to worry about.

As the man walked on the deck of the vessel and he was saluted by each person that passed, Ironwood's thoughts lingered on the homeland that was currently being left in the hands of Admiral Bismark, a shrewd but fiercely loyal man to the crown. James also thought of the fact that regardless of his insistence to reconsider with Whitney and Jacques, they had insisted on bringing over half the army with them.

 _Despite us being at war._

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" A feminine voice spoke behind him.

"Permission granted, Lady Schnee."

"May I ask why you are attempting to strangle the life out of the railing?" Questioned Winter, who had come to stand beside him. Ironwood, lost in thought, hadn't even registered his white-knuckle grip on the metal rail. Tentatively, he loosened his grip on the metal.

"I take it you didn't come here to enjoy the sunset?" asked Winter. It was a rhetorical question, one solely made to start a conversation. Ironwood knew that and Winter knew he knew that. He played along anyway.

"No, I can't say I did. I take it you didn't come out to see the sunset either?"

"Sorry to disappoint, but that was my exact intention. Though I was hoping to be able to take Weiss above deck with me since she's been cooped up for over a week now. The poor thing was sleeping, however, so I came alone."

Winter looked down at the water below for a moment, her neutral expression turning into that of a frown. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the Amicitia Channel appeared to be a rippling ocean of orange dye rather than a salt water. "James...I thought I asked to not be addressed as 'Lady Schnee.'"

Ironwood sighed, feeling far older than he should have. "I apologize."

Even if Winter wasn't in line for the throne. Even if the King and Queen wanted nothing to do with her as a family member. Even if she was technically under his command… to him, she was still the little girl he swore fealty to all those years ago. _You'll always be Lady Schnee to me._

They stood in silence for a while after that. The sea's unique roar filled the air between them with the conversations of seamen men littered in. As the sun descended and the day became night, neither spoke even then. Only when a cold wind blew in did Winter speak again.

"Hmm, it's beginning to feel like home again."

"It's the closest we'll get for a while."

"General Ironwood, do you fear for Atlas?"

 _And there it is._

"Winter, you didn't have to stand here with me for an hour to ask that question. Certainly not one you surely know the answer to. Do I believe that we are taking the Mantle insurgence too lightly? Yes. Has splitting our fighting force in half just for an escort bristled my nerves? Yes. But if you're asking if I believe Atlas will be a heap of smoking ruins when we return home, then no."

The majestic Atlas spires may not have been as legendary as Beacon Castle's impenetrable defense, but the city itself could easily withstand a siege for over a year. It went without saying that Atlas was leaps and bounds ahead in firepower, though he still couldn't help but worry. Maybe having children and getting older had made him more sentimental.

 _Of course, there is still the problem of 'that man.'_

"I see. Thank you for putting my own fears to rest then." Winter smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. Before he could say more a small hand latched onto his jacket from behind. Turning around and seeing the beaming expression of his niece, Ironwood's heart melted and he just about went into full doting mode.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" He asked with a smile, pulling the girl close for a hug, which she returned with vigor. After releasing, Penny didn't even hesitate to go to Winter for a hug, who returned it as well, nearly taking the smaller girl off her feet.

"Salutations, Uncle! Salutations, Miss Schnee!"

Winter's contemplative smile immediately softened into a goofy grin. Penny often had that effect on even the hardest of men and women. To say everyone loved the girl might be an understatement.

"Hello, Ms. Polendina," spoke Winter still trying to contain a smile. "It's nice you see you."

"A pleasure to you as well, Miss Schnee. I've come to inform you that my Miss Schnee is awake. I know you came to visit her earlier."

Winter patted the girl on the head lovingly. "Thank you, Ms. Polendina, I think I'll go visit her right now."

She tipped her head slightly to Ironwood. "Try to have a good rest of the night, General."

"You do the same."

She nodded and left his presence, heading down to the lower areas of the ship. Ironwood turned back around to his niece. "How about we head back to my room so we can talk or would you rather stay out here?"

"Let's stay here a moment longer. The stars are particularly bright this night."

Ironwood smiled. "Sure. Let's stay here a bit longer."

/-/

Blake was often amazed at her ability to space out while horseback riding, something that should be impossible considering how taxing it was to sit on an ever-shifting hard piece of leather. Regardless, she managed it somehow. There were so many things to think about at the moment. First and foremost, at the moment, her good friend Ilia.

She'd brushed it off pretty casually at the moment but their relationship or lack of one would surely have to be addressed once she returned to camp after this mission. Then again... _I don't want to lead her on but nor do I want to reject her either. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad… sigh._

The Faunus took one of her hands off the reins to feel her lips, thinking back to the kisses. They weren't unpleasant. Far sweeter than the rough and desperate kisses Adam would leave. _I do kind of like it rough though…_

"Ugh, what am I thinking?" Groaned the girl, dragging a hand down her face, attempting to wipe away the fatigue. Besides a few fifteen-minute breaks littered in between the journey, she hadn't stopped riding for over a day. Though, considering Yuma actually had to fly for that long curbed any complaints she might have had. She wouldn't be surprised if he slept for 48 hours once they actually arrived at New Eco.

 _Speaking of, what am I even going to say to them once I get there? If there is a new leader of the city then it would have been advantageous to bring an offering of sorts. I suppose our agents helping to protect the city could be used as leverage. Maybe that's a bit too aggressive though..._

Blake's ear twitched. A moment later she was pulling on the reins of Mutatio as hard as possible, bringing the horse to an abrupt stop before leaping from the mount entirely and landing a few meters away, Gambol Shroud in hand. She panted softly, the sword's blade kept level with her eyes as she lowered into crouched position. The princess had definitely heard something.

She stayed crouched for another minute before lifting up slightly. Everything in her was still screaming danger, but other than the initial rustle, nothing was sticking out now. Not to her heightened eyesight or hearing. _Was it really nothing?_

In the distance, she heard the beating of wings before Yuma crashed through the forest canopy and landed in front of her. He looked tired more so than annoyed.

"Tch, what's the hold-up, Blake? We were making good ground." His demeanor changed once he saw her expression.

"What spooked you?"

Blake stood but remained on the balls of her feet. "I heard something."

Yuma scratched his chin and did a look of the perimeter again. Nothing. The likelihood of bandits this far out was next to zero, so that could be marked off. The only other thing it could be was a Grimm, but a Grimm that hides was extremely concerning. As the seconds ticked on, Blake's hackles gradually lowered until she felt no danger at all.

"Whatever it was, it's gone." Blake sheathed her sword. "Let's get going again, sorry about the delay."

"It's fine," he assured, flapping his wings a few times before getting a running start and leaping into the air. Blake sighed and walked back over to her horse, feeling foolish.

"Come on girl, let's go," she spoke, patting down the animal's flank affectionately. However, doing so made her realize that the animal was quivering, so much so that Blake felt the need to soothe it. _Seems I wasn't the only one who got scared._

Even after calming down the beast, mounting, and continuing on her way, she didn't shake the feeling that something was off just beyond her line of sight, just beyond her senses. As if there wasn't already enough to worry about.

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The small border town of Wymondham was an oddity among the many fiefs in the Valean Kingdom. In decades past, it had been a small, extremely poor, muck ridden area only lived in by the destitute and despondent. Grimm attacks used to be frequent and the only time this tiny village was ever remembered was during tax collection.

Not much was different in the present day in terms of its notoriety. No one in the ruling class gave it a thought except when Roman Torchwick - the current owner of this area - and his pedigree was brought up. However, the town's means of living had spiked quite dramatically. Well paid militiamen in gleaming uniforms marched the parameter walls to ward off any manner of Grimm. Speaking of which, the walls were now reinforced stone rather than flimsy wood. The village was equipped with a town hall, public court, cobblestone pathways, watchtowers, windmills, and most luxurious of all, a school.

It, along with the neighboring village of Norfolk a few acres over, was a sparkling gem in the sea of grime that was the outer border of the Valean Kingdom.

However, it was not the history of Wymondham that interested Berry, despite his love of all things historical. No, it was the fact that he could ensure to be able to take a small respite from his journey with little worry of danger. Four days and three nights of horseback riding through dense forest and sporadic downpours had left him and Palla so tired they could barely stay atop the horse. He was an avid rider with custom equipment and was thus able to escape with little to no chafing. Palla wasn't as accustomed, leading them to take short breaks more frequently as the days passed. A proper rest was surely in order.

"We can soon take a rest, my dear," spoke Blu in a muffled voice, slowing the horse in front of the village gates. The rabbit Faunus mumbled a few unintelligible words, only half awake. By the time Blu had dismounted, at least three militiamen had noticed his presence, noticed his robes, and had come to greet him.

"Sir Knight, your presence honors us," spoke the first one, who seemed to be the leader. He wore a black, wool-rich poncho with golden underlay unlike the others, who had simple gray variants. His head was shaved bald, though possessed a very thick and neatly cut red beard. "Paul Wicker, at your service."

Berry thanked the stars that out here in the boonies it was rare that anyone asked to see identification like would be common closer to the Castle. The shimmering silver robes were more than enough identification. "Thank you mighty, Mr. Wicker. I and my compatriot have been tasked with patrolling the border and identifying any possible bandit encampments before the arrival of Atlas emissaries. If it's possible, might we stay here for a few hours to regain our strength for the journey ahead."

"I wouldn't dream of casting away such honored guests. Please come, come!"

Palla dismounted as well and allowed the horse to be taken to a holding stable. Blu would have helped her down like a gentleman, but surely such a thing would be out of place for Knights and Dames. Subconsciously, he also pulled his hood tighter, praying they wouldn't notice his young age or the fact the oversized robes were practically swallowing him and Palla.

Once they entered the walls of the town, Blu swore it got warmer. As winter was just around the corner for Vale, the ride here through the rain had been just short of hellish. However, as it turned out, the Knight robes did actually repel water and even retained heat. So, it could have been much worse.

"Thank you for your hospitality," spoke Palla from behind. It was only in her nature to be apologetic and wholeheartedly overwhelmed at any act of kindness sent her way. Once again, Paul waved it off as nothing. They were lead through the streets towards a small but lively looking tavern, already having garnered the attention of all those outside or those toiling indoors.

It made him nervous. Anyone of these people could see through the disguise at any moment, and who knows what would be done at that point. Stopping here might have been a mistake, but at this point, he was quite desperate for proper food and rest. Paul opened the doors to the tavern and the three were greeted with a large gust of warmth.

Upon walking in, Berry's senses were quickly assaulted by all the coziest of sensations. The aroma of beef and vegetable stew wafted in the air and the idle laughter of villagers could be heard. There were around 7 tables fit comfortably into the limited space, though only four were filled at the moment. A bar and kitchen area rested on the far side of the tavern while a staircase probably leading to rooms that could be rented upstairs.

"Oi, Paul. Who do you got there?" Yelled one of the patrons, a large man with an even larger mug of ale. His voice was good-natured and helped to put Berry at ease a bit. Paula still seemed to be doing everything in her power to not cling to him in assurance though.

"These are honored guess, moron," spoke Paul harshly, yet contrary to what one would expect, everyone, including the man insulted, bust out into laughter. Afterward, each table went back to their own conversations. "Feel free to find a seat anywhere, I'll go see about getting y'all some ale and whatever Betsy has cooked up today."

Berry removed his hood and Palla followed his lead. It would be rather odd to keep it on while indoors. The pair sat down at a table alone, though they were quickly bombarded with children who had left their mothers' laps to come at gaze upon them in wonder.

"You're pretty," spoke one the small boys to Palla. Blu could tell she was furiously fighting back a blush at the attention.

"Thank you, young man," she replied sweetly, patting him on the head. After that the children started fighting over her hand, all wanting to get patted by her. Palla soon lost the battle with her blush. Blu chuckled along with some of the adults at the display.

While the children continued to play with her a few of the older men pulled their seats over to him. "So, Mr. Knight, got a name?" Asked one of them, slurping down whatever brown liquid sloshed inside his mug. "Mine's Brutish."

Blu shook his hand and nearly winched at the pain that lanced through his arm. "Uh, the names B-Bors. Sir Bors." _Whew, I nearly said Berry._

"You're pretty young looking Bors. How old are they making Knight's nowadays?" While the words could have come off as an interrogation, it was clearly framed as a joke because afterward everyone burst into laughter.

Blu played along. "Yes, I got quite the amount of flak for looking so young when I'm actually twenty-four. Eternal baby face and what not. In fact, the others used to call me Bors the Younger as a joke."

"Huh, Bors the Younger? I like that," spoke another, patting Berry on the shoulder. By this time Paul had come back with two large bowls of stew and two large mugs of mead, which he was somehow carrying all at once. He set the meal down in front of them and pulled up a seat as well. A few of the children invading Palla's personal space climbed onto the militiaman's lap so as to see above the table. It was clear the community here was quite tight-knit. It was a heartwarming scene. The sight of four children trying to fit in his fiancé's lap also brought a smile to his face.

"So, Bors the Younger, and... actually I don't believe I caught your name Miss Dame," spoke Paul, looking between the two of them. Blu tucked into his stew as casually as possible, trusting Palla to come up with something convincing.

"Oh, well I'm P-Palamedes! That's my name."

Paul clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Bors the Younger and Palamedes. I must say that this is quite the welcome surprise around here. We don't get many guests in these parts as you can imagine. I say we toast to our new friends!"

The rest of the tavern shouted in agreement and raised a glass. It was only then that Blu realized that lots of other villagers had made their way inside while he was distracted because the shout that came forth was near deafening. Then the next second it turned to laughter, which proved to so infectious that he and Palla began laughing as well.

 _It wouldn't be so bad to stay here. I almost wish I could stop here for good._

But the fleeing noble knew it couldn't be. This wasn't nearly far enough to not be caught eventually. He needed to keep moving to a place where he and Palla could live free.

/-/

Jaune always found the behavior of those with strong pride infinitely interesting. He himself as the current Crown Prince and future King was obligated to a strong sense of pride, though that didn't come naturally to him. With as much power as he had, some would think that impossible. Though it was funny that power was often a reminder of how little you actually had.

So the actions of the Nobles never ceased to surprise him. They would cut off their nose to spite their face, excluding a few.

It was pride that kept them from wanting to appear to seem weak to the other families. Loss of face sent a cold shiver down their spine and reputation was their god. Maybe it really had nothing to do with the people and everything to do with the system. Jaune wasn't sure. Though he knew that it was pride that drove the families to his doorstep every time something went awry.

Many assumed, and rightly so, that the Crown had tabs on everything and if it wasn't aware now, it would be soon of anything amiss. This being the case, the Crown was the perfect place to come to for help, because there was no need to fear losing face to a power that couldn't hope to be overcome. On the condition that no one sees, of course.

So, it was pride itself that Jaune blamed when a Newcastle servant came begging for an audience at two in the morning. Of course, Jaune had people for this trained to say 'make a damn appointment' in every language, so for him to actually be woken up it must have been important.

"Alright, explain to me what's wrong?" Asked Jaune, still half asleep and still in sleepwear. The Newcastle servant was hooded and out of breath, possibly having run all the way here.

"Berry Newcastle has gone missing, Your Highness."

Jaune's eyes widened, the memories of sleep falling away.

"Blu's… missing?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Another chapter done. So I'm aware this is beginning to feel like Long Live Blu but I promise there will be more Jaune in the next chapter if you dislike OCs. Also, thank you for your continued readership.


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